A rare treat indeed, for my hubby and I to be sitting across the table from each other mid-week, holding hands while praying and preparing to share a meal together.

Our schedules just do not allow for this every-day, boring, taken for granted activity.  Our weekly time together is typically spent on the phone, as it was earlier in the day, but God rearranged our schedules for some face time, MUCH needed face time.
 
Our phone conversation just a couple of hours earlier had been filled with a lot of “I don’t know what to do’s”, “decisions need to be made”, “we could do this… or this… or this…”, you get the picture.

Not an uncommon conversation between a husband and wife, but unusual for us because all the indecisive statements inflected with worry were coming from me…. ME … the non-worrier of the family!  Yes, it’s true, I am generally a non-worrier and I can only give credit to God for wiring me in such a way.  I know some who deal with the anxiety of worry almost constantly (even in my own family), but not me.  

I should have been able to tell myself what I tell others, “worry and confusion are not from God, they are Satan’s favorite weapons to derail us from God’s work.”
 
But even without an utterance on my part, God saw my need and met my need… face time with my husband.

One of my most favorite things to do on this Earth
 is hold my husband’s hand and listen to him pray over us and over our family.
 It has the same emotional warmth to me as wrapping up in
 one of the 100-year-old quilts hand-stitched by the arthritis crippled hands
 of my great-grandmother… calming, soothing, emotional warmth.

But even with face time with the hubby, holding his hand while he prayed, and a plate full of soul food for this Texas girl, the worry filled conversation which had begun hours earlier continued.  I talked and I worried, and he listened and tried to offer solutions.

Finally I just sat back, took a deep breath and whispered in my heart “God, I just don’t know what to do”.  That was it, no resounding monologue, no great oracle to go down in the history books of prayer, just a loose frail pitiful thought bubble exhaled from my troubled heart.

This is part of the wonderfulness of having a relationship with God - the lines of communication are always open.

An on-going conversation with God is just like that on-going conversation with my husband.  It may begin and end but then gets picked back up right where we left off.  A relationship with God includes constant communication and constant availability for conversation.

But conversations go both ways.

I can speak and God listens, but it also involves God speaking and me listening.  And so just like with my husband, a relationship with God also includes constantly listening, and being able to recognize His voice over the others.
 

And yes, God did indeed respond to my thought bubble, He answered my prayer and spoke to me right there in the middle of that BBQ joint! He actually responded in 3 big ways.  

1. He calmed my fears, the worry dissipated.
   
   
2. He gave me an answer – He reminded me of an organization I began an affiliation with several months ago.  They could answer my questions.  I mentioned this to my hubby as we were sitting there and even stated that I would consult their webpage when I returned home, as I had not seen an email from them in a while.
   
   
3. God sent the resource to me!  When I returned home and opened up my laptop, there was an email waiting for me from this organization and in it I was provided with two things: an immediate resource to answer some of my questions and an invitation to a full day of learning about the steps I needed to take to achieve my goal.  

WOW.  But don’t count those goose-bumps yet (or as a friend says “God-bumps”).

The time stamp on that email was not from earlier in the day, it was not something I had just overlooked – I had been on the computer right up to leaving to meet the hubby for lunch.  No the timestamp on that email was just an hour earlier, right in the middle of that conversation over lunch and right when that loose frail pitiful thought bubble floated away from my heart.

* God's perfect timing *

He was listening, God was listening, and He answered me, and He provided a resource to answer my questions.
 
Soul Friends, what an incredible gift from God we have been given in prayer!  

He is God - the almighty creator of the universe and HE wants to be in constant communication with you and me!  

Oh friends, don’t be intimidated by the word ‘prayer’, don’t doubt, don’t listen to the lies of Satan, YOU are so precious to God and He wants to have that personal, one-on-one relationship with YOU.

Don’t worry if you don’t know what to say, what words to use, God knows your heart He knows what you need at every moment of every day, all you have to do is start the conversation even if it's just a thought bubble “God, I don’t know what to do.”  He does know and He will answer.

Oh Lord, we thank you for this wonderful gift of prayer, of conversation with You.  Lord, we are so unworthy, and yet so grateful that you see us as precious children and desire to have a relationship with each and every one of us.  Create in me, Heavenly Father, the desire to meet with you, to sit at your feet and converse with you, to present to you my anxieties, worries and needs knowing that You alone can calm these fears.  Lord, open the eyes of my heart to see the wonders of your hand, your mighty works, and all the blessings only You can provide.  Lord, create in me a thankful heart, and the desire to return these blessings also to You, Father, in pure gratitude.  May You alone receive the glory, Father, I pray that through this prayer relationship with You that my countenance be changed, that my outward appearance and presence reflect more of You Lord and less of me.  In your precious sons name we ask, AMEN.

Blessings Soul Friends,

We have put together a free file for you which includes blank journal pages and instructions for some of favorite Bible Study methods. Click the button below to download and print for use in your study time diving deeper in today's message through the Scriptures given above.

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a born and raised Texas girl who has a heart for studying God’s Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same. She is the author of Let Your Light Shine: Being a Light in a Dark World; Praying For Revival; Inspiring Women: Who They Are and How To Be One and Gracious Words: Speaking with Kindness and Mercy; and the illustrator of the scripture based Garden of Life Coloring Book and Coloring the Scriptures.

We praise Thee, O God for the Son of Thy love
For Jesus Who died and is now gone above
 
Hallelujah, Thine the glory
Hallelujah, amen
Hallelujah, Thine the glory
Revive us again

Revive us again; Fill each heart with Thy love
May each soul be rekindled with fire from above  
_{by William P Mackay, 1863}

What comes to mind when you hear the word “revival”?

Recently when I asked my friends online this question, they gave a variety of answers with some common threads.

• Spiritual awakening of the Church
• Repentance
• Return to God
• Back to Life
• Fresh start
• Refreshed / renewed
• Hearts on fire for God
• Reformation
• Lives changed / transformed
• God in our hearts
• Jesus is coming
• Turn back to God

Which of these tug at your heart?

And yes, several recalled the old tents and loud preachers with “bulging temple veins” and Bibles banging on the pulpit. I recall those hot summer night tent meetings also. Maybe I should have rephrased the question to something along the lines of “have you ever actually experienced a spiritual revival?” Have you?

I have. But it wasn’t in a big white tent. It wasn’t even at a “revival” meeting. I was sitting in a pew though...finally.

God had been calling me back to Him and back to the church—a specific church in fact—but I hesitated. I made excuses. I wanted to be in control. I was prideful.

One Sunday morning I snuck into a church service after it had already begun. I chose a seat alone in the back. The worship leader began singing. We all stood. And then my tears began to flow. Song after song, my cracking voice was accompanied by tears streaming uncontrollably down my face.

I don’t even recall the songs but I most definitely remember how my heart felt as God began chiseling away at the prideful stone which was encasing the heart He so desperately wanted to reach.

The pastor, whom I had never heard before, began preaching and I don’t remember any of those words or scriptures either. But I remember feeling like I had finally made it home. Every word the pastor spoke was infused with love. Love for God, love for His Word and love for His people.

Silently, I kept telling God I was sorry, and asking for forgiveness. Nothing more detailed than that. It was as if He knew, the Holy Spirit was interceding for me and God met me right there.

I felt my heart beating again.

I don’t think anyone will disagree that our churches are in deep need of revival. Our country needs revival. Our families need revival.

Before there can be a revival in our country, there must be a revival in the church. And before there can be a revival in the church, there must be a revival in our own hearts.

Revival starts with you. It starts with me.

It starts with realizing God wants to revive each of us personally.

In 1917, preacher and evangelist Dr. RA Torry gave his prescription for a revival, “Let a few of God’s people, they don’t need to be many, get thoroughly right with God themselves—the rest will count for nothing unless you start right there; then let them band themselves together to pray for a revival until God opens the heavens and comes down. Then let them put themselves at God’s disposal to use them as he sees fit. That will bring a revival to any church, any community.”

In short,
1. Get right with God, repent
2. Join together with other Christians and pray for revival
3. Make yourself available to God, especially in winning souls.

Soul Friends, will you join me in seeking God for revival?

Will you join me at the feet of God, offering repentance and asking Him to revive our hearts?

Will you join me on our knees in prayer calling upon God to send revival within our churches?

Will you make yourself available to God to be used as He wills in this time of spiritual warfare?

Lord, we are living in such a time that we chase after all manner of things to fill our empty places. But these things do not fulfill nor add life because they are not You. Forgive us for our prideful sin. Father You tell us to seek You out and You will restore our souls. Thank You Lord for answering our pleas. Revive us again! In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Blessings Soul Friends,

Read each of the following Scriptures considering the provided journaling prompts, then talk with God about bringing revival into your own life.

• “For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” Isaiah 57:15
• Ask God to reveal to you any areas of pride which may be preventing God from dwelling in your heart.
  
  
• “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” Psalm 51:10
• Consider all that holds a place of importance in your heart, talk to God about anything He would like for you to reprioritized in your life.
  
  
• “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.” James 4:8
• Is there something you are holding on to within your heart or by your hands which needs to be cleansed in order to restore your relationship with God?
  
  
• “He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” Psalm 23:3
• Might there need to be a course correction in your life to bring your plans or goals into alignment with God's plans for you?

You might also enjoy this blog post --> "What Is Revival?"

Today's blog post is an excerpt from "Revive Us Again" A Soul Inspired Bible Study companion to our Prayer Journal, "Praying For Revival."

Click on the image below to access all of our Praying For Revival resources. 

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

This month our Scripture reading / writing / study topic will be: BELIEVE. At first I thought this would be an easy topic, after all, believing in Christ is at the core of being a Christian. But the more I dug into God's Word, it became clear to me, the topic of believing is multi-layered.

Keep reading to the end and you will access the free printable Scripture list and a colorable bookmark / journaling template.

Let's begin with the monthly focus Scripture:

This verse, John 20:31, serves as a powerful reminder of the purpose of the Gospel and the importance of belief in Jesus Christ.

The first part of the verse says, "But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God." This phrase emphasizes that the Gospel was written for the purpose of helping people believe in Jesus Christ. The Gospel is not just a historical account of events, but rather it is a message of hope and salvation that has the power to transform lives.

The second part of the verse says, "and that by believing you may have life in his name." This phrase highlights the importance of belief in Jesus Christ for experiencing the everlasting life that he offers. Belief in Jesus is not just a mental acknowledgement of his existence, but rather it is a surrender of our lives to him and a recognition that he is the source of true life.

So, what does it mean to believe in Jesus Christ and have life in his name? Is it enough to just acknowledge that He is the Son of God?

The BillyGraham.org explains it like this:
"The word “believe” in the Bible means more than simply agreeing in our minds that something might be true. It means “trust”—that we believe so strongly in God that we are willing to commit our lives to Him and live the way we know He wants us to live.

Suppose you were walking along a path and you came to a bridge which crossed a deep canyon. You might look at it and believe that it would hold you, and you might even see other people walking across it so you know it would hold your weight. But so far, your “belief” in the bridge is only in your head. When do you really believe the bridge will hold you? You only really believe it when you are willing to commit your life to it and actually walk across it.

It is the same way with Christ. Yes, we can believe that God exists, but God wants us to come to know Him personally. And He has bridged the gap between us by sending His Son to remove the barrier of sin and become that “bridge.” To believe in Christ is to commit our lives by faith to Christ—to trust Him personally as our Lord and Savior. Our prayer is that you will come to truly believe in Christ."


Believe in Jesus as the Son of God.
This means acknowledging that he is not just a good teacher or a prophet, but rather he is the Savior of the world who came to give his life for us. By believing in Jesus as the Son of God, confessing and repenting of our sins, we can experience the forgiveness and salvation that he offers.

Surrender your life to Jesus.
Belief in Jesus is not just a mental acknowledgement, but rather it is a surrender of our lives to him. This means acknowledging that he is Lord of our lives and that we are willing to follow him wherever he leads. By surrendering our lives to Jesus, we can experience the abundant life that he promises.

Trust in Jesus in all circumstances.
This means trusting him in all circumstances, even when things are difficult or uncertain. It means trusting that he is in control and that he has a plan for our lives, even when we don't understand what is happening. By trusting in Jesus, we can experience peace and joy in the midst of difficult circumstances.

What does our life look like once we believe in Jesus Christ? Does it / should it look any different from before?  How can we live out our belief in Christ? This list is not complete, but here are five ways our belief in Jesus Christ will be evident in our life.

Live a life of obedience to Jesus.
This means following his commands and seeking to live in a way that honors him. By living a life of obedience to Jesus, we can experience the blessings that come from living in accordance with his will.

Seek a deeper relationship with Jesus.
Belief in Jesus is not just a one-time event, but rather it is the beginning of a lifelong relationship with him. This means seeking to know him better and to grow in our understanding of his character and his will for our lives. By seeking a deeper relationship with Jesus, we can experience the fullness of life that he offers.

Find community with other believers.
Belief in Jesus is not meant to be a solo journey, but rather it is meant to be lived out in community with other believers. This means finding a community of believers where you can worship together, study the Bible together, and encourage one another in your faith. By finding community with other believers, you can experience the support and accountability that comes from being part of the body of Christ. [check out our Together We're Better free download]

Seek to serve others.
This means using the gifts and talents given to us by God to serve the Kingdom. Jesus is our example for this as Mark 10:45 tells us, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve." By seeking to serve others, we can be the hands and feet of Jesus to those around us.

Share the message of Jesus with others.
As believers, we have a responsibility to share the message of Jesus with others. This means sharing our own testimonies of how Jesus has worked in our lives and sharing the good news of salvation with those around us. By sharing the message of Jesus, we can help others experience the everlasting life that he offers.

Call to action
Take some time today to reflect on your belief in Jesus Christ. Ask yourself if you truly believe that he is the Son of God and if you have surrendered your life to him. If not, take time to pray and ask Jesus to come into your life and be Lord of all. If you have already believed in Jesus, ask him to help you trust him in all circumstances and to give you opportunities to share the message of Jesus with others. By doing so, you can experience the everlasting life that Jesus promises and help others experience it as well.

Friend, I have gathered together these 31 Scriptures on the topic of "believe" which I hope will be a catalyst in your Bible reading / writing / study time. Keep scrolling to download a full page printable version of this list.

□ John 11:27She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.”

□ Luke 1:45And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.

□ Hebrews 11:6And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

□ Mark 11:23Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him.

□ Romans 4:3For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.”

□ Matthew 9:28When he entered the house, the blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, “Yes, Lord.”

□ Romans 6:8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him.

□ Jude 1:5Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
 
□ Titus 3:8The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things, so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

□ Psalm 27:13I believe that I shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living!

Click on image to download this printable "Believe" colorable bookmark / journaling template.

□ John 12:36While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.

□ Numbers 14:11And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

□ John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

□ John 4:50Jesus said to him, “Go; your son will live.” The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way.

□ Psalm 119:66Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments.

□ John 20:31but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

□ 1 John 3:23And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

□ Acts 10:43To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.

□ Acts 2:44And all who believed were together and had all things in common.

□ John 8:24I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.

□ 1 Thessalonians 4:14For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

□ Isaiah 28:16therefore thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I am the one who has laid as a foundation in Zion, a stone, a tested stone, a precious cornerstone, of a sure foundation: ‘Whoever believes will not be in haste.’

□ Galatians 2:16yet we know that a person is not justified by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified.

□ Mark 5:36But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.”

□ Romans 10:9If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

□ Acts 16:1Paul came also to Derbe and to Lystra. A disciple was there, named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer, but his father was a Greek.

□ 2 Timothy 3:14But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it

□ John 1:6-7There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

□ Galatians 3:22But the Scripture imprisoned everything under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

□ John 20:31but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

□ Ephesians 1:13In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 

Heavenly Father, I thank You for your grace and forgiveness and the gift of everlasting life which You offer to all who believe in You. Lord, help us in our moments of unbelief. Thank You for the gift of your Word so the generations following your time on earth can know of You and come to believe in You.  I am also thankful for the woman reading this today. Help her Lord, strengthen and deepen her belief in You in a tangible way. Where she may have doubt, I ask that You speak to her heart in such a way she will no doubt know that it is You. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Blessings Soul Friend,

Download this printable bookmark which lists all of the "believe" Scriptures detailed above. This full page can be folded down the middle to make a bookmark which can easily be used in your journal or Bible.

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

"Restore us O Lord, God of hosts! Let your face shine, that we may be saved!" 
Psalm 80:19

REVIVAL.
Just the word itself may evoke memories of hot summer nights under a tent listening to a traveling evangelist with a booming voice.

We've been hearing alot about revival lately, in no small part to what is happening on a college campus. So, you might be wondering, just exactly what is revival? Is it a church meeting? Do I need to visit that college campus to experience revival myself?

Revival can be an event. But true revival doesn’t happen in a tent, on a college campus, in a church building or even in a pew.

True revival happens in our heart.

Revival begins with you and with me. It spreads through our homes, then within our churches, then out into our communities, throughout our cities and all across our nation. Hallelujah!

Yes, revival, that return to life, the restoration of God’s church, begins in our hearts.

The late theologian J.I. Packer described revival like this:
"Revival is God touching minds and hearts in an arresting, devastating, exalting way, to draw them to himself through working from the inside out rather than from the outside in. Revival is God accelerating, intensifying, and extending the work of grace that goes on in every Christian's life. Revival is the Holy Spirit sensitizing souls to divine realities and so generating deep-level responses to God in the form of faith and repentance, praise and prayer, love and joy, works of benevolence and service and initiatives of outreach and sharing."

How do we have revival?

In 2020 God began burning a message of revival on my heart, specifically, the desire He has for His people to return to Him. I was greatly convicted of the urgency of the call to revival for all Christians. A revival of the Christian family and of The Church.

Little did I know then what struggles and challenges the next few years would bring, not only to our nations, churches and families in general but also the spiritual attack which would take place inside the walls of my own home and within my heart.

There was only one solution for me and there remains only one solution for all... to have revival we must fervently seek God.

We are told in Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart.” That seeking comes from spending time in His Word and in prayer.

Friend, you see, the formula for revival is you + God.

Yes, that can happen during a church service, it can happen in the school chapel, it can happen at the altar of a temple, but it can also happen at the side of your bed, on the bathroom floor or anywhere else. Your physical location is not what brings revival, the spiritual position of your heart is what opens the door for God to bring revival to your life. You do not go to revival, God brings revival to you. 

My own personal seeking has been the catalyst for the Praying For Revival prayer journal.
40 days of reading God’s Word
40 days of meeting with God in Prayer
40 days of listening to God speak
40 days of journaling our prayers and God’s responses
40 Days of Praying for Revival

I admit, this type of daily habit is a challenge for me. I’m not much of a routine person. As an artist it can be freeing, but when it comes to developing habits, it can be difficult.  So you see, I really just created the journal that I personally need. I have also invited several friends—friends I know are prayer warriors—to join me as we are Praying For Revival.

I would love for you to join us too. You will be a great encouragement for each of us, you see.

The idea of corporate prayer has fascinated me for awhile now. It was not our practice in the church I grew up in to recite prayer in unison. But just imagine how it must sound in heaven when God’s people unify in voice and in heart to petition God in unison! Oh the melody that must be.

That is my hope for us friends. That all across this nation, and across many more, our prayers for revival become a beautiful melody which fills the heavens and lights the flame of revival in hearts everywhere.

Will you join us?

Father God, we seek You for revival, true soul deep revival. We ask that during this time spent with You that You bring revival within our hearts, in our homes and families, within our churches, across our country, and all around the world. May you be glorified, Lord! In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Blessings Soul Friends,

1. Download the free printable of daily prayer prompts and Scripture readings list.
2. Follow Praying For Revival on Instagram and connect with us at 12:00 noon (CST) M-F to pray together.
3. Invite a friend! Forward this blog post to a friend, several or even your Bible Study group!

You may also want to:
4. Order the Praying For Revival Prayer Journal to record your daily prayers for revival and enjoy encouraging devos.
5. Download the Revival themed journaling kit and cards from our Etsy Shoppe

Click on the image below to access all of our Praying For Revival Resources. 

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

For ten years I, and our wonderful Soul Friends and contributors, have been steadily spending time with you on-line so we can share about our Lord and Savior. I must admit, this past year was a difficult year for me to do this. Soul deep struggles left me empty to share anything from my heart. Maybe you have felt the same way. For me, the result was stepping away from Sweet To The Soul for several months.

I love this community and sharing and learning about God so much, it has been a great personal loss for me not to be here. But returning to my previous writing and content creation schedule still seems overwhelming. I need God to continue to heal and fill my heart. 

When I was praying with God about what He wants me to do this year, His response was very clear, to seek Him and spend time in His Word.

In seeking God and spending time in His Word, I decided to begin with Matthew chapter one verse one and write through the New Testament. Yes, write.

Writing out The Bible (New Testament) will be my singular goal this year. This endeavor can easily achieved by completing one chapter per day, but I know me and I know I need some breathing room. So I worked out a schedule which allows for extra time each week for weekends off and gives a bit of a break at the end of each book completed.

Would you like to join me in my journey Through the Word?

To help in this endeavor, we will provide free printable Through the Word journals.

Each printable journal is focused on a single book of the Bible, and includes:

• Background on the book
• Overview Chart 
• Scripture Art 
• Daily Scripture Plan 
• Study Questions by Chapter 
• Blank Note and Journaling Pages 
• Scripture Cards

In addition, we will also be sharing links to journaling and study resources as we progress through each book of the Bible.

These resources can be adapted to your personal study preferences, but here are some suggested uses:

Each of these study approaches will enhance your time Through the Word. Use all of them or add variety to your study time and select a different method for each chapter. Allow God to lead you and dive deeper as He prompts your heart to learn more.

GET STARTED Today

Will you be joining us on our Through the Word journey this year? It's easy to begin, just grab your Bible, commit to spending time with God each day and download our free study journal below.

Blessings Soul Friends,
Jana

Click the button below to begin your Through the Word journey and download the free study journal for the book of Matthew and / or the book of Mark.

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

    

“Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful." John 14:27

The words of Jesus two thousand years ago ring through my head as I survey the chaos of this world and wonder what it really means to be a Christian in this post-modern world. Over the last several years, decades even, there has been a war waged on our words. Language and culture have collided and the result of ideological movements like deconstructionism have led to an era of believers who know the words of Scripture but now find those same words meaning much different things in the culture we relate to.

So, now, how does one know what it means to live in biblical peace?

Let’s start by setting all the cards out on the table. The word “peace” in Scripture has a very different meaning that the word “peace” has in our culture. If we are honest, when people use the word “peace” in the culture, they want us as Christians to not make waves, they want us to acquiesce our convictions for the sake of their comfort, they want tolerance and acceptance, regardless of the situation. And should we startle the status quo of modern culture, then we find ourselves being branded as peace takers instead of peacekeepers, and how dare we not be peaceable and call ourselves Christians.

The struggle comes because the world has taken the word “peace” and removed the Biblical definition, rebranded the word according to their standards, then turned around and gotten Christians to use the word with their meaning.

It’s time we step into Scripture, understand the meaning of peace, and the power and spirit behind it and live according to Scripture not society.

As Christians then, our focus and understanding of peace must be within the context, behavior and revelation given to us in Scripture. If Jesus is the Prince of Peace, if He is our Peace and He has given us His peace then it would stand to reason that living in Biblical peace means living life in Christ, like Christ, and sharing Christ with the world.

It also stands to reason why as Christians we struggle to live in the world. If we have Jesus and are His followers, we as children of light struggle in the world full of darkness. Light and dark don’t mix. They clash, and therefore there is not peace between the two of them.

It’s not that Christians aren’t being peaceful, but rather because Christians are full of peace (essentially full of Christ) they stand as a light against the world of darkness and the culture is not comfortable with us.

Our job as Christ followers is to be the salt and light to the world. To be a peace maker in a Biblical sense means that we are bringing Christ to others, sharing the Gospel with them and bridging them into a relationship with Christ, so they too can have Peace, not necessarily an emotion, but the Person who is Peace.

To be a peacekeeper in a biblical sense means we are abiding in Christ, keeping Christ in our conversations, community, and convictions. We are aligning with Christ in all things and walking in the Spirit as we engage with this world.

Living in biblical peace does not mean our circumstances are simple, without conflict and hassle free, but rather, we have the presence of God with us in all situations we face so we can engage in the environments as Christ would.

As this culture grows more hostile to the Christian world, we must remember it is not because it’s a personal attack against us, but rather it is a battle of evil against righteousness, and the conflict ensues when we stand for righteousness in a world full of evil. Peace is not necessarily an absence of conflict, but rather the focus amid conflicts. Are we leading people into awareness of and relationship with God or away from Him?

We can engage in the conversations of this world with grace and truth, bringing hope to people in desperate need of Jesus while we lead them to the Person who can bring peace for their soul. And we must remember that we represent God to this world, so we ought not be surprised when we are not well received, when we feel uncomfortable in the world, and when the culture pushes back against the convictions we hold in Scripture.

For more study on the topic of peace and what Scripture has to say about it, we've collected for you these 31 Scriptures on the topic of peace. Scroll down the page to download a free printable page to use in your Bible study or reading time.

Download this free printable "Peace" Scripture Reading List to use in your Bible study / reading time. Once printed, fold the page in half to create a beautiful and functional bookmark. 

Natalia Drumm is a graduate student at Dallas Theological Seminary and founder and creator of Girlfriends in the Word™ where she leads Bible study groups and produces study books and resources for busy women to grow in God’s Word. She also writes for Lifeway Women, A Wife Like Me and Sweet to the Soul. Visit her website at www.nataliadrumm.com. 

Birthdays have a way of causing you to reflect, especially as that number starts getting higher. You know, like eligible for AARP.

I actually enjoy each birthday and thankful for each one. Am I taking the high road? Nope, I for really don't mind sharing my age (see the title) mainly because I know so many who have not been able to celebrate this many.

As I begin year 57, this morning I was reflecting on all the life lived over the past 56. And it's been a lot. Good years, bad years, hard times, good times, loss, grief, success and failure, birth and joy. It's all been there and thankfully lived with a covering of God's grace.

There have been so many things learned over those years, and many things yet still to learn. I can say that now knocking on 60's door, as opposed to when I was 20 and already knew it all.

I'm sure I could make a list, much longer but for your encouragement or entertainment or just so I have it written down somewhere, here are 57 Things I've Learned in 57ish Years.

1.  Forgive. Period. Forgive others and move on.

2.  Listen to your kids when they are little. This tells them they are important and then when they are older they will still want to talk to you.

3.  Set boundaries and keep them. Everyone is not God ordained to be part of your life.

4.  Accept the changing seasons of life. Find the joy and beauty in each one.

5.  Hold on to the good memories but leave the bad ones in the past.

6.  Be thankful. This alone will change your life.

7.  Friendships take work. Be willing and do the work.

8.  That career will never love you like your family does. Prioritize wisely.

9.  Pay attention to the red flags in life, your intuition (spirit) is more perceptive than your heart.

10.  It's ok to start over. More than once.

11.  Say "I'm sorry." The people you love are more important than your pride.

12.  Take the vacation, even if it's just a staycation.

13.  Live in a house with a front porch. Always. Preferably with a swing or rocking chairs.

14.  Say please and thank you. They are easy words and pay respect to others.

15.  Help others. In all your life seasons, don't wait until you have "extra".

16.  Hug your people. Tell them you love them. Often. We tell them when they are 4, why do we stop when they are 24?

17.  Blood doesn't make you family, love does.

18.  Not everyone who wants to be part of your life has good intentions, be willing to close the door or walk away.

19.  Don't try to blend in. You are unique. On purpose. Embrace what God has created uniquely in you.

20.  Spend time doing what you are passionate about.

21.  Let it go. Holding on to bitterness, anger, unforgiveness steals your happiness and peace.

22. Go to the game, recital, concert, exposition. Your kids only play for a short time. Give them the memory of knowing you were there supporting them.

23.  Be the person God inserts into someone else's life. When He says go, go. Be a blessing.

24.  Volunteer. Serve. Give of yourself to help out. At work, at church, at school, in the community. They say 10% of the people do 90% of the work. Be part of the 10%.

25.  Learn to be content. More isn't always better, often times, more just becomes a burden instead of a blessing.

26.  Get outside. Walk barefoot. Soak up some sun (with appropriate sun screen, of course)

27.  Talk to God every day. Hourly most days. Keep a constant connection.

28.  Cultivate patience.

29.  Do your best.

30.  Learn something new every day. Always keep a teachable spirit.

31.  Say no to credit cards.

32.  Consider the other person's point of view.

33.  Plant something and watch it grow. It teaches you nurturing and patience.

34.  Not everyone will like you and that's ok. Read this one repeatedly.

35. Pray for others. All the time.  

36.  Consequences often outlive momentary choices. Choose wisely.

37.  Mend your relationships with loved ones.

38.  Forgive your parents, they were just kids trying to figure out how to parent.

39.  Stop waiting until everything is perfect to do the thing. Everything will never be perfect.

40.  Send the card. Write the letter. Make the call. When someone comes to mind, connect. Don't put it off. (see #23)

41. Write it down. No, you won't remember it later.

42.  Play with the grandkids. Don't just watch them playing, get in there and play too.

43.  Don't wish for someone else's life. You are where you are on purpose. Find that purpose.

44.  Use your gifts to bless others and find joy in it.

45.  Do what you can with what you've got. You don't have to do everything.

46.  Don't worry about the acceptance or approval of people you don't even know.

47.  Laugh. Often and especially at yourself. Be joyful.

48.  Stop complaining. If you can help, then help. If not, then pray.

49.  Be an encourager. Pour love into those around you. Every one.

50.  Don't burden others with the weight of conformity to your opinions.

51.  Sugar is not your friend.

52.  Stress and anxiety are real. Find genuine solutions and not momentary comfort.

53.  Read more. More books, magazines and especially the Bible. Just read more.

54.  Be truthful.

55. Enjoy every day. Notice the blessings. Look for the miracles of God. Sometimes they are big but often they are small and silent.

56.  Live without malice.

57.  Jesus really does love me. And you too.

Oh the lessons, many hard learned, contained in this list. But isn't that the way though? Difficult times, poor choices, regret, missed opportunities can lead all of us to wisdom with the help of God's grace. I must admit, some I am still learning and many I have to be reminded of frequently.

In the end, everything comes down to #57 which really should be #1.

• Do any of these resound with you? Are you in a season which aligns with something mentioned above? I would love to hear from you.

• Anything on this list surprise you? I mean, it's all kind of telling. I have to admit, if I listed it above, at some time or another I was struggling with the concept, or something happened in my life which brought home the lesson. 

• What has been something you have learned in your years traveling around the sun? Sharing our personal experiences can be a great comfort to someone traveling through similar circumstances or even caution signs for others.

Dear Lord, thank you for every birthday and all the days in-between. Thank you that each new day is full of Your mercies. Thank you for each person You have brought into my life, whether for a moment, a season or forever. It is hard to thank you for the circumstances surrounding some of these lessons learned, but thank You for always being there, for never giving up on me and always delivering me through. Forgive the moments, times and years when I have sinned and failed others. I thank You for their forgiveness because I know that only You make that possible. Be with the one reading this today, who may be struggling. I pray they are encouraged by this thin testimony, and they are reminded of Your goodness and grace. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.

Blessings Soul Friends,

Soul friends thank you for visiting on my birthday. I would love for you to have this free color page of Proverbs 18:24. Download and print a copy to color and share with your friends.

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

Today is part 4 in the series, Rest For The Weary Soul

There’s nothing quite like going to the mailbox and finding, tucked between your normal every day pile of bills and junk mail, an envelope with your name hand-lettered in a beautiful script.

Someone thought about you. Someone spent some time on you. Someone wants you to join them somewhere.

One of the most special things I am asked to do is hand-letter wedding invitation envelopes. It’s such a privilege to be able to participate in a small way on someone’s most special of days.

It’s a special day for their friends and family too, and I can just imagine their excitement as they discover their invitation in the mail. Calling other friends and family of the bride and groom, “I’ve got my invitation! Did you get yours yet?”

Today’s scripture is a familiar one for me. I’ve studied it, memorized it, illustrated it. It’s a beautiful message directly from Jesus himself – an invitation of rest.

“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” 
Matthew 11:28-30, ESV

At the time and place Jesus spoke these words, it was widely recognized that the “yoke” symbolized the burden of the religious laws and legalism imposed on the people by the Scribes and Pharisees. If we jump ahead to Matthew 23, we see Jesus heaping seven woes on the religious leaders beginning with their hypocrisy.

“For they preach, but do not practice.
They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, 
and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves 
are not willing to move them with their finger” 
Matthew 23:3b-4, ESV

Jesus, by contrast, came with a message of salvation based on God’s love NOT man’s works. He didn’t offer a complicated set of activities someone needs to accomplish in order to receive the reward of salvation; no, He preached that one simply had to believe. This salvation that Jesus offered meant the people could lay down their yokes of religious performance and find rest in God’s grace.

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.”   
Ephesians 2:8-9, ESV

Even today this is a concept we have difficulty with. We may know these things to be true, having read and understood them, but we live in a culture that is totally performance driven and our worldly view can influence our spiritual view. Just like it did for the Scribes and Pharisees.

Yes, we are to be obedient to God in our actions, but this obedience is not what brings us our salvation. Our obedient actions are evidence of our salvation.

Our good works do not earn our salvation, rather they are evidence of our salvation.

One of the most beautiful things about studying the Bible is that it is always teaching. God reveals new things from familiar words or brings fresh perspective from something we’ve seen over and over.

Studying today’s scripture, this happened to me.

All of the above is a valuable lesson for us to draw from these verses in Matthew 11, but today, three little words leap off the page at me: Come to me.

Almost 30 times in the New Testament Jesus issues the invitation to come to Him or to follow Him. This is an invitation to know and trust Him personally, not to merely believe some historical facts about Him.

God desires a personal relationship with each and every one of us. Jesus is our personal hand-written invitation from Him. His love is there for us to receive, there is nothing we need to do to earn it, there is nothing we CAN do to earn it. In this place of relationship with God, when we choose to be in His midst, this is where we find true peace and rest for our souls – for our time here on Earth and for our eternal rest with Him.

“The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”   
Zephaniah 3:17

Can you imagine God singing over you? Just like the guests of a wedding sing and celebrate the newlyweds, God sings and celebrates each of us.

I am enjoying our Rest For The Weary Soul mini-series, and although the verses selected were random, at least on my part, I see two themes consistently emerging from each day:
1. True rest is only found in God
2. We must choose to accept it

I’ve learned that rest IS available to me, but I have to choose it. I choose it with my heart and prayers, but I also choose it with my actions. I need God to show me which of my actions are spawned from genuine faith-based obedience and which of my actions are burdensome religious performances.

Oh, am I brave enough to ask?

How about you, friend? Are you burdened down with empty performances aimed at meeting someone’s religious expectations? Meeting your own self-imposed expectation?

Let’s be brave together. Let’s lay these heavy burdens down, let’s trade the yoke of legalism and performance for Jesus’ yoke of grace. In doing so, we choose to accept the beautiful gift of rest for our souls that can only be found in Him.

Blessings Soul Friends,

This blog post is part of the Rest For The Weary Soul series. Access the full series by clicking on the image below. 

Jana Kennedy-Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

Part 3 of Rest for the Weary Soul series

I have had multiple pet cats over the years. They all have had very different personalities, colors and shapes but all have had one thing in common...how they hunt. If you stop and watch a cat, they crouch down really low and get extremely still, always with their eye on the prize. The cats were very still, yet actively hunting. There is a difference between being still and doing nothing.  
 
Psalm 46:10 (NIV) says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

Be still and know...hmmm. What do you struggle with the most: being still or doing nothing? Maybe both? It may help to remember that there is a difference between being still and doing nothing.

In order to fully understand this verse, we must look at it within the context of the chapter. The psalmist is seemingly going through a hardship or experiencing some turmoil in his life (can anyone relate?).

The theme of Psalms 46 is the greatness of God and His ability to care for things beyond our abilities. The Psalmist shares in Psalm 46 that: God is our refuge, His home is our home, He provides our security and He is our safe place. These truths remind us that God is greater than any enemy that we may face. God wants us to stop our futile efforts in dealing with this world when, in reality, it is His domain. He desires that we are still and trusting that he is able.
 
“Be still,” is not referring to the stance of our body, but the stance of our heart. 

We can and need to stand still and position our heart in awe of God as we trust in Him. We must stop fighting in our own strength and allow God to be God. We must keep our eye on the prize.  “Be still” is not a call to relax. It is an urgent directive to remember who God is, even in unsettling times. Remember, even when you are wrestling with God, you are still in His presence.

We should be still and:   

•  Know that He is our refuge and strength (v.1)
•  Know that He is an ever-present help in times of trouble (v.1)
•  Know that He is within you and you will not fail (v. 5)
•  Know that He will help you (v. 5)
•  Know that He is with us (v. 7)
•  Know that He will cease wars (v. 9)
•  Know that He is our fortress (v. 11)

 
As we grow to know Him more intimately, we can clearly see all that He is doing. 1 Samuel 12:16 proclaims, “Now then, stand still and see this great thing the Lord is about to do before your eyes!” 

Let’s be women who move aside and let God take His rightful place as God. There is a difference between being still and doing nothing.  
 

Lord, we trust that you are able. We only need to be still before you. Help us trust that you are our help in a time of trouble and our joy always. Help us see what you are doing as we position our hearts to be still and know you intimately. Help us to remember that there is a difference between being still and doing nothing.  In Jesus' name, Amen

Blessings Soul Friends,

   

You might also enjoy the additional blog post in this series: Rest for the Weary Soul

Donna Fender is known for her ability to bring laughter and joy to a room with her thoughtful stories and beautiful voice. Her gift of sharing God’s love through song leaves women resting at the foot of the cross as they grow closer to Jesus note by note. Connect with Donna at faithfullyfollowingministries.org.

Part 2 of Rest for the Weary Soul series

In my former career, we had a saying, “Ready, Shoot, Aim”.

It was a philosophy which believed – in theory and in practice – that quick action was the best action.

Confront the situation, act on it, then make any necessary course corrections later.

In that very competitive, very fast paced corporate environment, the approach made sense; or at least we reasoned that it made sense.

And maybe it did there. But it didn’t take very long before I was applying that active problem solving method to my personal and family life.

I was a decision maker. When everyone else answered “I don’t care” to me asking “what do you want for dinner?”, I decided. When someone was ill and needed attention, I attended, I didn’t debate, I just did. When at school or PTA meetings and an idea surfaced, I ran with it; while others were wanting to talk it out, I was already working it out. When a problem needed solving, I solved it; and when something needed doing, I did it.

Maybe some of you know someone like that. Maybe some of you ARE someone like that. Is it a bad thing? You have to decide….

A New Assignment

A few years ago God very clearly spoke to me that I would be leaving that corporate environment and I would be going to work for Him.

Oh.

A little side note about me – I love change and I love a challenge. I love the combination of those feelings of anticipation and excitement of something new.

So while I was totally scared, going through every reason why I could NOT work for God, I was at the same time beyond excited about the challenge of something new. And guess what kicked in? You got it. My ready – shoot – aim work philosophy.

God gave me just a passing glance, an almost unrecognizable image, of what was to come; and I was left to interpret what it meant and what I was supposed to do with it.

"My presence shall go with you and I will give you REST."
Exodus 33:14

In today’s scripture, we find Moses in a sort of similar situation. God has given him a job.

If we go back to verse 12, Moses reveals the assignment,
“See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people…’”

But we already know Moses and we know that God designated him to lead God’s people out of Egypt and into their promised Holy Land.

Let’s look at Moses’ reaction, continuing to read vs 12, “… but you have not let me know whom you will send with me…" and into vs 13 “… please show me now your ways...”.

What Moses is essentially doing here is:
1) acknowledging and confirming his assignment, and
2) asking God what the plan is.

Moses wanted to know the details, he wanted to know the plan and he wanted to know who was going with him. Specifically, he did not want to go it alone without God. Because in verse 15, Moses tells God, “… if your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up...”. Or, if you’re not going, I don’t want to go.

I love the way it is presented in the Matthew Henry Commentary: Moses speaks as one who dreaded the thought of going forward without the Lord’s presence.

This is NOT the ready – shoot – aim approach. This is the I’m ready – show me the way – I will go approach.

And that really convicts me.

Learn more about our free download,
Let It Go: 5 Things You Don't Need Taking Up Space In Your Heart

Ok, back to my part of this. After God had given me this passing glance at an assignment, I – unlike Moses – did not ask God for the details of His plan. Oh no. I immediately began developing and implementing MY plan.

How do you think that went?

Door after door was closed. Action after action failed. Person after person bailed.

Failure. Disappointment. Feelings of inadequacy. Stress. Anxiety.

Not only had I not asked God about His plan I had not even asked God to come along.

God had given Moses a big job. But He also gave Moses a key – God was going with him and merely by His presence, Moses would have rest for the journey.

The Greek word for rest here means: to settle down, to dwell, to give comfort. God offered to go with Moses for this huge assignment and to give him all of these things.
 

A New Approach

I have learned – and apparently need to re-learn often – that in those times when I feel unrest, when I am anxious or unsettled, when my stress-o-meter is in the red zone – I am going it alone. Not alone because God has abandoned me, oh no, alone because I have run so hard and so fast ahead of God that I’ve run away from Him.

Running away from God. Sounds like rebellion. Even when I’m doing God’s work? But if I’m running ahead or off course, chasing after MY version of God’s work, am I really doing God’s work or my work?

When God calls on me, a hurried yes is no better than a no, if it is going to take me outside of God’s will.

In just a very few verses of scripture, Moses provides for us an example of what our approach should be with our God assignments.
1. Say Yes to God’s calling
2. Consult God on the plan
3. Go with God

Sometimes the most difficult part of learning something new, is unlearning something old.

But I am determined. I don’t want to go it alone. I don’t want to run ahead of or without God. I so desire the peace and rest which can only be found in His presence. The peace that passes all understanding.
 

“Do not be anxious about anything,
but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving
let your requests be made known to God. 
And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding,
will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7

What about you? In times of great anxiety, stress and unrest, are you going it alone? Have you run ahead or stepped outside of God’s will? If so, call out to Him. Let his beacon of grace shine a light on the path back to His will for your life.

Lord, we acknowledge you as all powerful, all knowing and all in control. We thank you that you have authored a plan for each life. That you have kingdom assignments for us. But Father, forgive us for running ahead of you and making our own plans instead of following yours. We ask that you shine the light of your grace over our lives, making the way clear so that we can return to you. Teach us your ways, and create a desire in each heart to not move forward or backward one step without you present. Thank you for hearing our prayers. In your Son's holy name we ask, Amen.

Blessings Soul Friends,

Let me ask you a question - have you ever felt alone? I ask if you have felt alone, because I know you've been alone at some point. And the interesting thing about feeling alone is that it doesn't require actually being alone. Join us as we meet God in His Word to learn the truth about loneliness and finding peace in God's presence.

Jana Kennedy-Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

Today is part 1 of the series, Rest For The Weary Soul

Lately, my soul has been feeling pretty weary.

Some things have crept in and drained my joy, my peace and my motivation. And I need to rest, replenish and refuel my weary soul.

I feel the need to just set all the chaos, demands and drama of everyday life aside and search out some alone time with God.

It’s summer-time and I recently saw a picture of a friend quieting her schedule and enjoying some time looking out over the beautiful blue ocean from the cruise ship deck. And another sitting quietly with God and her Bible as the day slowly awakened with a picture perfect sunrise over the mountains. Still another was rejuvenating with a new devotional and peaceful waves lapping against her toes buried in the sand, alone on the beach.

Ahhh….

Sounds peaceful, restful, calm.

But I’m not on a cruise ship, in the mountains or dipping my toes in the sand, and don’t foresee to be anytime soon. How about you?

I may not be going to any of those places, but isn’t it wonderful that I don’t have to “go” anywhere to spend time with God – He meets us right in the middle of where we are. In the middle of our little mess, in the middle of that round of chemo and even right smack dab in the middle of that stressful relationship.

God comes to us, we just have to stop long enough to be with Him.

Stopping … is that as difficult for you as it is me? How about just slowing down? It can seem impossible, but is it so essential.

Just as we fill our cars with fuel to keep them running, so we need to be filled with soul fuel to keep us running. And can I just say, I can see the “low fuel” light blinking over there in the corner of my soul. Where is your soul fuel gauge registering?

So I am going to take sometime  to refuel. To be intentional about spending time with God and in His Word, and meditate on these scriptures. Would you like to join me? And invite a friend – or two or three or more. Let’s take this journey together.

We will begin our blog series next week, however until then, our team has shared some of the ways they find rest. Maybe these ideas will help you too.

    

I asked our community about what they do when they feel weary and in need of rest. Below are a few of their answers.

Lord, thank You for caring so much for each of us to provide us with all we need, including rest when we become weary. You alone, are our source of strength, peace and comfort. Forgive us for looking to other things to find the peace which only You can provide. I pray for the woman reading this today that may feel her situation and responsibilities are heavy and burdensome. I thank You for meeting her right where she is, in the midst of her circumstances, uncertainty and chaos. I thank You for all that you have prepared in advance for her. I pray her soul need is met in such a miraculous way that she is left without doubt of Your love and provision. Thank You for resting her soul. In Jesus' precious name, Amen

Blessings Soul Friends,

We have gathered these 5 Scriptures for the focus of this blog series. Join us each Friday over the next 5 weeks as we learn how we can find rest for our weary soul.

Week 1 - Exodus 33:14
"My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest."
Upcoming Blog: Don't Go It Alone by Jana Kennedy Spicer

Week 2 - Psalm 46:10
“Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”
Upcoming Blog: Actively Being Still by Donna Fender

Week 3 - Jeremiah 6:16
"Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it; and you will find rest for your souls."
Upcoming Blog: Which Way Do I Go? by Jana Kennedy Spicer

Week 4 -Mark 6:31
"Come away by yourselves to a secluded place and rest awhile. (for there are many people coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat)"
Upcoming Blog: Having a Personal Retreat by Christa Hutchins

Week 5 -Matthew 11:28
"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Upcoming Blog: A Personal Invitation by Jana Kennedy Spicer

Download this printable list of the 5 Scriptures for When You Need Rest to use in your Bible study and prayer time. 

You might also like the 31 Day "Be Still" Scripture List

Jana Kennedy-Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

Ever had a guest who overstayed their welcome?  I sure have. He took up residence a long time ago and then refused to leave. Living with him camped out in my head became normal.  He planted negative thoughts in my mind as comfortably as planting his feet on the coffee table. Instead of cleaning up after himself, he enjoyed trashing my hopes and ideas. He cooked up ways to feed on my insecurities, leaving only crumbs of confidence behind. This guest unpacked, settled in, and crowded out my dreams. He’s proud of the many places he’s visited. Maybe you’ve met my roommate too? His name? Fear.

It’s difficult to think about all I’ve let this unwelcome squatter keep me from doing: meeting new people, responding to a need, experiencing adventure, following my dreams, and so much more. The closer I came to trying any of those things, the more messages Fear began leaving for me to replay in my head, convincing me that I would only make a fool of myself and should instead just shelter in place with him.

After experiencing many missed opportunities, I finally recognized that Fear had no intention of leaving on his own. Not only that, he’d plopped himself down and wedged his way between God and me. The reality is God wasn’t the one who moved over to make room for him; no, that was all me. Anyone else ever been the one to scoot over?

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self discipline.
 2 Timothy 1:7 (NLT)

Did you catch the “self-discipline” part? If we’re going to live the life God has planned for us, and more importantly abide in the greatest commandment of loving God with our whole hearts, souls, and minds, it’s time to get cleaning! There’s no room for Fear when we dwell in the house of the Lord. Let’s pack up all his lies, doubts, and accusations, and send him on his way…far away!

The eviction notice has been served! There’s no doubt Fear will continue to knock on our doors and it may take a while to clear everything out and give these “temples” of ours a good cleansing. When we do though, we can look forward to a new-found peace without that extra voice always butting in. Choosing our roommates carefully isn’t always easy but we have this promise to depend on:

“For I am the LORD your God who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13 (NIV)

What a comfort to be reminded that we don’t have to do it on our own. So, are you ready to join me in saying “goodbye” to Fear? Now’s the time. Because you know what they always say…”Two’s company, three’s a crowd!”

Blessings Soul Friends,

Let It Go: 5 Things You Don't Need Taking Up Space In Your Head is a free 5 part study guide to help you let go of fear, bitterness, regret, shame and people-pleasing. Join Soul Friends Gretchen Fleming, Karen Friday, Amy Elaine Martinez, Mitzi Neely, Melanie Redd and Jana Kennedy-Spicer as they recount personal experiences and share Biblical encouragement to help you rid your heart of the weeds which can interfere with spiritual growth and flourishing.

Add your email address below to receive a FREE copy of Let It Go.

Cindy Wilkins.  With a love for storytelling, Cindy has a passion for sharing lessons God is teaching her in everyday moments as a MiMi, Mom, Wife, Daughter, Teacher, and Friend.  You can read more of her stories, ponderings, and what she's learning along the way in her Christian walk at www.myseaofthought.com. 

Being still -- what a challenge for us today with our hurried schedules and responsibilities. But Oswald Chambers reminds us: 'The busyness of things obscures our concentration on God."

We have so many people and responsibilities, appointments and duties, jobs and to-do lists vying for our time.

With our attention scattered in so many different directions and on so many things, it can be difficult to slow down enough to focus on God.

"Now then, stand still and see this great thing the LORD is about to do before your eyes!"
I Samuel 12:16
 
I love this Scripture today... God is directly telling us "Hey! Pay attention! I'm doing something here!" Just as Samuel was telling the people.

They had lost their focus on God and were placing their faith in material things, even to the extent of making them little gods.
 
Sound familiar?

Samuel had prayed and God was about to show himself in a mighty miraculous way – stormy thunderous rain. Miraculous because it was out of season, without any appearance of rain occurring naturally and on God's command.

Isn’t this how God gets our attention sometimes?  

Everything is going well, smoothly, favorably; and we begin to take our focus off God and onto other things, our little gods.

We begin to take credit for what God has sent as blessings – good will, job promotion, financial stability, bright open clear skies.  

We become enamored with people in our lives, listening more to our pastor or Bible teachers, depending on them for spiritual nourishment instead of going directly to the source, God.  

We become reliant on things for spiritual, emotional or physical fulfillment; being more consumed with the short term gratification brought by temporal things instead of focusing on the eternal riches of heaven.  

When this happens, often God has to do something large to get our attention refocused; just as He was about to do here for the people of Israel. Something totally unexpected was about to rain down on them, literally - a miracle, and the pure effect of His almighty power.

Reading this today makes me wonder just how many times God has rained down a miracle in my life and I was too busy otherwise to even notice.  

Blessings Soul Friends,

We’ve curated 31 scriptures to help you understand the power of rest.

Almighty God, as we flip the calendar to a new month,
help us to focus on rest. May we take your words to heart
to be still and know that You are God!
Almighty, Powerful, You alone are  the Source of all we need.  
I pray we experience rest in Your loving arms,
peace wrapped in Your might,
and discernment in Your Word,
and that as we rest we begin to recognize the blessings
you give us each and every day of the year.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

Tyanne Rakowitz

As we focus on being still this month, how can you carve out time to rest in God’s Word?
What practice can you implement this summer to help you form the year-round habit of paying attention to the miracles God rains upon you?

Click below to download this printable "Be Still" Scripture list. Use this list to guide your Bible reading and study time. 

Jana Kennedy-Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com 

I'm a collector.  And I love holding on to things, even for years at a time.

I have t-shirts and spirit ribbons and all kinds of memorabilia from my school days.  I still have a box full of baby clothes and little painted wooden rabbits and a deflated mylar balloon that reads "it's a girl!"  Mind you, that baby girl is now a momma herself. And don't even ask me to count how many quilts and embroidered pillow cases I have which were hand stitched by generations of women in my family.

These are precious items to me.  But even more precious are the memories attached to each item.

Even now as I am writing this, images of that inflated pink balloon softly floating bedside as I hold my beautiful just-one-day-old baby girl are flooding my memory [and memories flooding my eyes].

This is a snapshot of a moment in time that is so special, one that I always want to hold onto; a most precious memory which stirs up feelings of warmth and love.

But not all memories are precious.
Not all memories are warm and loving.
Not all memories are worth holding onto.

There are a lot of moments over the years that were not so precious and memory worthy. Drama, hurt feelings, abuse, broken relationships, depression.  All traumatic battles lived through, fought and overcome only by the grace and love of God.

Too often we carry our wounds from one battle into another or hold onto them even after the battle is long past.   By constantly revisiting and dwelling on these traumatic memories we can unintentionally allow the seeds of worry, fear and insecurity to be sown. All of which can sprout and grow and become life choking, just like a wild vine or a flower bed full of weeds.

• Life choking because if I allow those weeds of the past to grow they will not allow any room for my present to bloom and flourish.
  
  
• Life choking because every moment I spend reliving my past is taking that moment out of my present.

Over the years I have learned, when God tells me to eliminate a weed from my life, I can't just chop it off or cut it down.  I must dig deep and remove the roots so that none of the weed will grow back.

Are there some weeds which have taken root in your life?

Are memories from the past choking out your present?

Maybe it's time to go pull some weeds, maybe it's time to let it go.

In this study journal, I have invited several of our Soul Friends to join in this discussion about some things God has helped them to let go of in their own lives.

Fear, bitterness, regret, shame and people-pleasing.

Do you have any of these weeds sprouting in your life?

Have any of them seemingly taken over and grown out of control?

If so, we want to help you let them go.

Through God’s Word, we can learn what God has designed for our lives and receive helpful encouragement to take back control from fear, bitterness, regret, shame and people-pleasing and let it go.

Surely, this list could be much, much longer, but each of these weeds have grown in my own life and I know to be completely effective in letting each one go, it takes time, effort and commitment.

 Joining us for Let It Go are: Gretchen Fleming, Karen Friday, Amy Elaine Martinez, Mitzi Neely and Melanie Redd. I invite you to meet each of these authors and wonderful women of God in the back of this study guide. Then visit their websites and connect with them on line. You will be blessed!

Feel free to use these study materials at your own pace. Each of the 5 sections features a different topic and worksheets with additional journaling space. The teachings are short and could be used daily or weekly. It also makes a great study journal to use in a group setting with your friends or study partners.

However you utilize Let It Go, we pray that God meets you in the verses of His Word, inspires your heart, and provides you with the desire and strength to address these topics in your own life and let it go.

Dear Lord, I pray for the woman reading this who is living under the heavy burden of fear, bitterness, regret, shame or people-pleasing. I ask that You bring her a willingness to live out Your Holy Word and the strength to face the circumstances feeding these weeds in her life. Thank You for allowing our path to cross hers, help her to know she is loved and cherished and held in the palm of Your hand. In Jesus name I pray these things, Amen.

Blessings Soul Friends,

Download your FREE copy of Let It Go: 5 Things You Don't Need Taking Up Space In Your Heart by adding your email address to the box below.

"Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women went out after her with tambourines and dancing.  And Miriam sang to them: "Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider he has thrown into the sea."
Exodus 15:20-21 (ESV)

While Miriam is perhaps a lesser-known woman of the Bible, she was given a front-row seat to some of the most dramatic miracles in history, starting with the one that unfolded on the banks of the Nile River.

God saved Moses’ life through the hand of an Egyptian Princess that day and she would raise him as her own. As a young man, Moses’ misplaced passion would lead him to murder an Egyptian, flee the country, and live for many years as a desert shepherd. Until one day, when God called him back to deliver his people out of slavery and out of Egypt.

Miriam would then watch as her middle brother Aaron would stand alongside Moses and oppose Pharaoh. Ten times she would witness God move on behalf of His people as plague after plague fell upon the Egyptians. Finally, on the evening of their first Passover meal, the Israelite Nation would be released from captivity.

And He did. Just as God delivered Moses out of the Nile River, He delivered His people out of the Red Sea. As God parted the water, Miriam and her people walked across dry land, and then watched as their enemy was swallowed up by the waters, once and for all. 
 
Exodus 15:20 tells us that Miriam was so overcome that she poured out her praise in a song. She gathered together the women around her and led them to testify to the greatness and wonders of God.
 
Throughout our lives, we are sure to experience moments like this - moments where we witness the undeniable hand of God. When these miracles happen, what is our response? I pray that we can be inspired by Miriam’s story and use those moments of salvation to sing out and tell others about God. I pray, like Miriam, we would lead other women to praise Him for the amazing, miraculous things He has done.

Blessings Soul Friends,

Stay encouraged with these beautiful, hand-lettered devotional cards from Mary Kathryn and the ladies at New Mercies For Moms.

Mary Kathryn Tiller lives in East Texas with her husband, two kids, and thirty head of cattle.  She is a writer, speaker, and adjunct professor.  Her passion is helping entrepreneurial mamas connect more deeply with Christ so they can thrive in all He's called them to do.  You can connect with her on Instagram @MaryKathrynTiller.

“And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” 
Romans 8:28

What an awesome, empowering promise from our Heavenly Father.  This scripture has been my life verse, and many many times I have clung to it like a life raft in a storm.  Being tossed and thrown about, I have held strong and cried out for God to calm the storm.  

After all, He promises it will all be good, right?

But in truth, sometimes everything is not good.  Sometimes we lose, sometimes we fail, sometimes the relationship is not mended and reconciled, sometimes the job goes to someone else, sometimes the bills can’t be paid, sometimes the biopsy is malignant, sometimes the surgery is not successful, sometimes…. our prayers are not answered.  

Sometimes – often times – it is not all good.

As children of God, what we need to know is what God is really telling us with this promise in Romans.  

It is not that everything will always be good, but that when things are not good, when things are broken – when WE are broken – we need to come to Him, bring all of our brokenness, bring all the circumstances of our situation and lay all of it at His feet.  

We need to let go of our futile attempts to control and fix it ourselves, and really give it all over to Him, saying “Here Lord, take this relationship, take this job, take these circumstances, take this disease, take this (whatever it is) and work it out for YOUR glory, for YOUR purpose – not my own selfish purpose, but YOUR purpose.”  

That is when God lovingly scoops up all those broken pieces, forming something beautiful and making something good come of the bad, all for the kingdom’s purpose. [closer fellowship with God, bearing good fruit for the kingdom, bringing a new believer to God]

Giving this control over to God can be most difficult for us.  

We know how WE want things to work out, that’s what we pray for: ‘Oh Lord, please let me get this job’; ‘Father God, we beg for your healing touch.’  

It’s much more difficult to pray for, to mean it, and to have faith in God working HIS will and achieving good for the kingdom.  

Sometimes God’s glory is revealed in the healing or the reconciliation or the new job, but sometimes God’s glory is better revealed in our faith and patient endurance and ultimately acceptance of the circumstances.

This was my brother’s testimony.  

Through his physical suffering he never lost faith in God, he never doubted, he never blamed God.  God graciously empowered him with the strength to fight the battle and in return he was able to share his testimony of God’s love and saving grace with many others.  

And even though he lost his earthly battle 40 years ago, to this day I am still told of the legacy of his witness from those who heard his testimony all those years ago as a teen.  
   
If all these years later, God is still working “things together for good” for the kingdom's purpose from a teenager’s faithfulness, know that He can and will do the same today with our faithfulness.    

Blessings Soul Friends,

• Have you witnessed God use the broken pieces in your life for something good for His kingdom? 

Would you share in the comments?

• How have you witnessed God’s glory revealed in faith and perseverance? 
• How does faith and perseverance help us become more Christ-like?

 Share your thoughts in the comments.

"If you’ve ever struggled to put into words how God has been at work in your life, this article is for you! I’d love to help put your faith stories into words so that other people in your life can hear about God’s faithfulness."

Cyndee Owenby of Women's Ministry Toolbox, shares with us on the blog about Sharing Your Faith Story.

Jana Kennedy-Spicer is a wife, mom and Nana.  A born and raised Texas-girl who loves boots, sunflowers, and sweet tea.  She has a heart for studying God's Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same.  Connect with Jana at SweetToTheSoul.com

A New Normal

Another Mother’s Day is upon us and admittedly my emotions are all over the chart. I lost my sweet mama three years ago and the thought of not celebrating with her is surreal. Some days the tears just flow. Other days I'm remembering the special times we had together and I smile.

Whether I like it or not, things have changed. Her loss is still a reminder of the gaping hole that feels a mile wide. So how do I cope with the loss of mom on Mother's Day?  

"Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate." Proverbs 31:31

Deal with Reality When it Hits

Reality can hit each of us hard. Maybe visiting her favorite stores brings back memories of days gone by. Or maybe when we’re perusing the Mother’s Day card display out of habit and we realize we’re not buying a card this year. I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t prepared for the swell of emotions that occurred. Tears well in my eyes and my throat tightens just thinking about my mom and the fact that she’s no longer here with me to fuss over and treat like a queen. But instead of getting mired down in the sadness I try to focus on the good times. I continue to think:
 

• Did I spend enough time with her?
• Could I have been more patient with her?
• Were our conversations always filled with kind words?

Remember Her Devotion

I know that God doesn’t want us to sink in doubt or second guess ourselves. He wants us to remember that a mother and her love is a direct reflection of His love. He wants us to remember her sacrifices and her devotion to her family.

I was blessed to spend a lot of time with my mom. We lived close and I was able to visit her several times a week. I also made it a priority to talk with her every single day--sometimes multiple times a day just to check in. Oh, how I miss this sweet time. She was loyal, loved fiercely, and had my back.

I would also love to tell you that every conversation we had in the last few years was void of any conflict, but I cannot. She needed to go to her doctor appointments, but sometimes she just wouldn’t. I’m sure I sounded like a mother scolding her daughter, but I did it because I loved her. Then there were times when she would tell us to clean up or throw away, only to supervise what would stay and what could go. Regardless of the discussions, I always made sure at the end of each visit that I kissed her, told her I loved her, and that I would see her soon. That held true all the way to her drawing her last breath. I am grateful for the time we had together.

Love Like Jesus

God's Word tells us we're to love unselfishly and fiercely. We’re to be loyal and care for others. Mothers are special individuals and they deserve our respect, gentleness, and kindness because they are a beautiful example of God’s love.

Right now I would love nothing more than to be with my mama to celebrate her special day.

Maybe you feel the same way. Maybe you're feeling the same sadness and tears because you've suffered your own loss.

Whichever it is, I know this--I miss her terribly. Some days I wake up thinking about her with tears rolling down my cheeks. Other days, I smile up at her, tell her I love her, and keep moving forward. That's what she would want.

Since I can’t see my mama face-to-face, hear her sweet voice, or say I love you, I’ll remember her as the best mother ever. I’m grateful for the sacrifices she made for me, for the love she so unconditionally showered, and most importantly, for the legacy she left me, my sister, and her grandchildren.

Whether your situation is recent or you've been without your mom for years, it's okay to cry and grieve. As I encounter yet another Mom’s Day, here are five ways I’m remembering my mama. Regardless of the emotions I'm facing, I'm choosing to focus on what I have rather than what I don’t. I hope they help you too.

Honor Your Mom's Memory

I loved my mom for many reasons, but I’m especially thankful for her strength and grace. She faced some tough journeys in her life, but she always came out on the other side a stronger, more confident and courageous woman. She made sure we were raised with those same attributes.  

She is clothed with strength and dignity, and she laughs without fear of the future. Proverbs 31:25 NLT

Be Thankful for Her Example

I’m grateful for the way my mom treated and cared for others. She was kind, loving and gracious to those around her.

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude, it does not insist on its own way, it is not irritable or resentful, it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 ESV

Appreciate Her Influence

I'm thankful for the impact mom had on my life. We don’t always recognize a mom's powerful influence until years later when we find ourselves in her same shoes.

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” Ephesians 6:2 ESV

Give Yourself Some Grace

It’s okay to be sad one minute and happy the next. The emotions will come quickly and often, but give yourself some grace. Take time to mourn and grieve--it’s necessary. You're dealing with the loss of your mom and God is there to guide you every step of the way.

"Therefore you too have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one will take your joy away from you.” John 16:22

Surround Yourself with People You Love

Today I'm choosing to honor my mother by celebrating those who are a part of her legacy–my daughter, my sister, my nieces and precious friends. They are women I count on. They are strong, confident, gracious, and joy-filled women who remind me of her.

Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” and to insight, “You are my relative.” Proverbs 7:4 NIV


I'm praying for you as you cope with the loss of your mom. Remember her and thank God for His glorious gift!

Download this lovely Mother's Day print featuring Proverbs 31:28. Included are three different print sizes perfect for framing or gifting as a postcard. 

Mitzi Neely is a wife, mom, and grandmother who encourages and inspires women of all ages through her teachings on grace, love, joy, and peace.  She just debuted a new book, Zizi's Kitchen: Gathering Hearts in Faith-Full Fellowship. You can connect with Mitzi at peacefullyimperfect.net

Mitzi with her daughter, grand-daughter and mother.

Her name faded from memory years ago, but her story stuck with me.

I heard Susan, let’s call her, speak at the first women’s ministry event I remember attending. Her story wasn’t flashy or dramatic, but it resonated deeply with me. Susan spoke about growing up in the church and realizing as an adult she didn’t have a personal relationship with Christ. She knew who God was, but she didn’t know Him personally.

Susan admitted that she previously struggled to share her story of coming to faith because it lacked the drama and action of so many other faith stories she had heard. There was no earthquake moment. No tragic circumstance. No story that would bring an audience to tears. Little did she realize that her story had me fighting back tears!

As she spoke God connected the dots of my conversion in a new way. Hearing her story finally helped me put into words my own story. I, too, grew up in the church but lacked that personal relationship with God. I thought because I knew who Jesus was and I was a “good girl”, I was headed to Heaven when I died. It wasn’t until I was a young mom that I realized there was more to being a Christian. Knowing who God is and knowing God are two completely different things.

If you’ve ever struggled to put into words how God has been at work in your life, this article is for you! I’d love to be your Susan – to help put your faith stories into words so that other people in your life can hear about God’s faithfulness.

If you’ve ever been asked to share your “testimony”, you may be familiar with that feeling of dread and fear that often accompanies such a serious request.

A testimony is often defined as the personal retelling of the moment of conversion. It’s a story of an encounter with Christ, the moment of salvation. The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines a religious testimony as “a public profession of religious experience.” While a testimony is and can be about the singular point at which we accepted Christ, a testimony can also communicate any experience we’ve had with Christ.

I’ve found swapping out that scary word “testimony” with “faith story” relieves a lot of the pressure we place on ourselves. Stories are familiar and stories are relatable.

Faith stories:

• Give hope
• Provide encouragement
• Create connection
• Model obedience
• Provide testimony of God’s faithfulness and love

Sharing our stories can inspire other people to look for God’s fingerprints on their current situation and circumstances. While we may be tempted to keep our stories of God’s faithfulness and love to ourselves, scripture is clear that we are to tell our story to others.

We are to make known what God has done. 
People cannot believe in God if they’ve never heard about God. 
Our stories give the reason for the hope that we have in Christ. 
We can offer an eye-witness account of God in action. 
We can comfort others with the comfort we received from God. 

Yet, our minds often overcomplicate the sharing of our faith stories. What do I include? How many details do I share? How long should I talk?

John 9 offers a simple recipe for sharing our stories. Here we find the story of Jesus giving sight to a blind man. When asked what had happened, the blind man replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.” John 9:11 NIV.

While our faith story might not be as short as those three sentences, the format is one we can easily follow.

The story consists of three parts:

1. How I was 
2. What happened
3. How I am now

In John 9 we see:

1. The man was blind.
2. Jesus made some mud, put it on his eyes, and told him to wash it off.
3. Now he can see.

As we think through what happened or changed in our life, we want to make certain our story focuses on what God did. And then as we share how we are different, we want to include the transformation God did in our life.

I find these three C’s helpful in shaping what I am sharing:

1. Current - Our stories should be current, focusing on a recent lesson (within the last year, if possible). Keeping it current reminds others that God is always at work!
2. Concise – Our stories don’t need to be lengthy. Even if we’re sharing our faith story publicly, we’ve not been asked to be the keynote speaker or teach a Bible lesson. What we share should last between five and ten minutes, no more. Practice sharing it. Record yourself and listen to make sure your story is coming across as intended. If you’re speaking in front of a group, jot down a few notes so you don’t lose focus.
3. Christ-centered – Our faith stories should be focused on what God has done, not on dramatic details. It’s about Him, not about us. We want others who hear our story to remember what God accomplished through us or the circumstance. When our eyes and words are focused on God, others see that and can learn by our example.

Faith stories that are current, concise, and Christ-centered will ensure the words we share give glory to God.

I’ve heard it said that we should speak from our scars, and not from our wounds. I’ve found these to be wise words as I’ve watched women share on a couple of occasions faith stories that were more about their feelings than God’s healing.

Here are a few other things to consider when sharing your story:

• Please do not share anything that would embarrass someone or lead to gossip.
• Protect your spouse, your family, and anyone who is a part of your story.
• You want to be more general than specific, especially when sharing with a group.
• Be prayerful and careful with details you share.
• Whenever possible get permission and input from anyone that is a part of your story. 

For example, if you are sharing about a hard season in your marriage, your spouse needs to be completely aware and on board with what you are sharing. The specific details of that hard season are for you, your husband, and God to know. Hearing someone reflect on God’s faithfulness in difficult circumstances can be an encouragement.

What story is it that you sense God wants you to share? Do you need to tell how God has provided for you or your family? Is there something God has rescued you from? Has God healed a relationship or helped you to overcome a loss?

You may find it helpful to write down your story. Journal all the nitty-gritty details and then decide what parts are for public consumption and which stay between you and God.

I pray we’ll embrace the opportunities God gives us to be a witness (Acts 1:8), offer comfort (2 Corinthians 1:3–5), proclaim God’s power (1 Chronicles 16:8), and give a reason for our hope (1 Peter 3:15).

Blessings Soul Friends,

Read: A Bible Study Plan for Unpacking God’s Word
Designed to help you study God’s Word on your own using a simple four-step process – Record, Explore, Apply, and Do. In less than 20 minutes a day, you’ll develop healthy Bible study habits and go deeper in your time with God. Includes over 6 months of READ Worksheets.
LEARN MORE

Cyndee Ownbey, author of Rethinking Women’s Ministry, serves as a mentor to thousands of women’s ministry leaders through her website, podcast, and Facebook community, Women’s Ministry Toolbox. Pulling from over twenty years of ministry experience, Cyndee shares tried-and-true women's ministry tips and ideas equipping leaders to cultivate a Christ-focused community.

Are you afraid to share your personal testimony with others? Are you thinking, why? What’s the point? Or, if you do share, are you worried you might say something wrong?

Christians use the term “to testify” or “to give one’s testimony” to mean telling the story of how one became a Christian. Commonly it refers to a specific event in a person’s life in which God transformed them or a situation in their life that caused them to believe in Jesus Christ.

Testimony is a powerful tool in sharing what God has done and is continuing to do in our lives. Sharing our testimony can lead a person to salvation, as well as healing and bringing us closer together.

Let us look at the Samaritan woman in John 4. Her testimony is simple. “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Can this be the Christ?” Simple enough for many to be intrigued to see for themselves, and when they did, they realized and believed that he was the Savior of the world.

The main reason to share our testimony is because God tells us to in 1 Peter 3:15-16.

“Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.”  1 Peter 3:15-16 NLT

This verse reminds us to worship Christ as Lord of our lives and if someone asks about our hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it with the utmost courtesy.

Another benefit of our testimony? When we speak about what God has done in our lives, we remember all of God’s goodness. When we look back and see all that He has done in the past, it gives us more faith and courage to spur us on in our present living.

Stories about how God has worked in our past helps us to encourage others who may presently be going through a similar situation. They see in us the hope that they long to have. Our story can be a key that unlocks someone else’s prison. God uses people as His hands and feet.

Our testimony shows that God is greater than our story or our experience. It’s not about us. It’s about God and His work in and through us.

To dive deeper into the power of testimony, we’ve curated 31 scriptures to help you understand that sharing our testimony is sharing the Gospel because we’re sharing a story of God’s hope.

Dear Lord, may my life be a testimony of your goodness and faithfulness.  May my actions, more than my words, show love and compassion to those around me.  In every circumstance, I pray I would be an example of the grace and mercy you have so generously given. When conflict arises, or I find myself in disagreement with others, please give me the boldness to share your truth with a gentleness of spirit and kind words. May my attitude be one of love and kindness, even as I stand firm in your word. Give me faith when I face challenging situations, and my heart is heavy.
Please remind me of the ways you have been faithful in my past. You give me hope to face the unknown; may know they can also have hope during life’s storms. Thank you for writing your story on my heart. I pray you will use me to help someone else know of your steadfast love and faithfulness to pour out goodness for your children.
May my life be an example of the hope we have in you.
Amen.
~ Stephanie Adams

To learn more about a personal testimony, let's look at three examples in the Bible.
Read these chapters and consider each testimony.
Record certain characteristics concerning the audience, content, approach, doctrine etc.

1. Acts 7 – Stephen‘s address before his execution
2. Acts 22 – Apostle Paul’s defense before the Jerusalem Mob.
3. Acts 26 – Paul’s defense before King Agrippa

Download this printable TESTIFY Scripture List and keep in your Bible or journal for quick reference.

Tyanne Rakowitz is married to her high school sweetheart for 40+ years.  Mom to 6; 3 by blood and 3 by love.  Grammy to 5 little boys and 1 little princess.  Humbly serving Christ Lutheran Church as the Office Administrator.  And serves as the Business Administrator for Sweet to the Soul.  Planner and organizer extraordinaire!   

Her husband served the Lord faithfully for years. Now he was gone, and the grief crippled her. To make matters worse, she had no way to pay the bills. Bill collectors kept calling. Would her sons have to leave her to go work off the debt?

She needed a miracle.

The burden the widow carried threatened to crush her under its weight. When things looked hopeless, she went to the man of God for help. Her husband worked with him for years. She knew if anyone could do something, he could. His name was Elisha. He simply asked her, “What do you have in your house?”

All she had was one flask of olive oil – nothing more. But one flask and a willingness to receive was all she needed. Oh, and lots of empty jars.

Elisha instructed her to pour oil from her flask into one empty jar, and then to keep pouring. Her sons brought her every empty jar they could find. They rummaged through their meager home. They borrowed from neighbors and friends. The widow filled one jar, then another, then another.

The oil kept pouring until the jars stopped coming. And with that one miracle, she had everything she needed.

In this scripture, the prophet Zechariah foretold the most significant event in the future of God’s people – the day Jesus would give his life as a willing sacrifice for us. Historians date this prophecy around 480 B.C., roughly five hundred years before that day.

Reading God’s message in this passage, I can’t help but think of the widow woman and her empty jars. “I will pour out a spirit of grace…”

How could God be so generous with this gift of grace when His only son died for my sins? I didn’t deserve such mercy. So why would He do it? Why would He pour out a spirit of grace, just for me? Because He knew exactly what my weary heart would long for.

“They will look on me whom they have pierced and mourn for him as for an only son.”

God knew we would grieve as we looked upon the face of our Savior who loved us that much. He knew we would carry the weight of responsibility for the suffering he endured as a result of our sin. He already saw the tears we would cry as He lifted that burden from us and placed it on the cross.

God knew we would need grace. And just like the widow’s unending stream of oil, the grace God poured out fills us over and over.


God gave us enough grace to cover it all. So as we think about Jesus’ sacrifice, let’s remember these three things about the widow’s story.

1. Her jars had come to the prophet empty. “And Elisha said, ‘Borrow as many empty jars as you can from your friends and neighbors’” (2 Kings 4:3, NLT).  
   
   
2. The oil-filled jars paid off her debts. “When she told the man of God what had happened, he said to her, ‘Now sell the olive oil and pay your debts…’” (2 Kings 4:7, NLT).
   
   
3. The oil was enough to provide for her family for a lifetime.  “…and you and your sons can live on what is left over” (2 Kings 4:7, NLT).

Let’s come to Him empty today, ready to be filled. Let’s remember to always thank Him for paying our debts so willingly. Let’s lift our jars to God with gratitude and accept His gift of grace for a lifetime.

Blessings Soul Friends,

Save this phone lock screen to your device as a daily reminder and prayer: Lord, let my life be a reflection of Your love and grace. Click image above to download lockscreen.

Kristine Brown is a communicator at heart, a nurturer by God's design, and a life-long learner and teacher.  You'll find devotions and resources to help you "become more than yourself with God's Word" at her website, kristinebrown.net.

SHE WAS AT THE END OF HER ROPE.

She ignored her gnawing hunger as she walked past the fish market and the baker’s cart, smelling warm bread as she passed. Her mind churned on overdrive, replaying the events of the last year. Her stomach now seized with a different pain as memories of her late husband flooded in. What she would give to have those days back.

Everything changed with her husband’s death. No one expected it and, really, she could have done little to prepare for it. Friends had flocked to her home, bringing food and giving condolences at the funeral. But they’d long since gone back to caring for their own families during a famine, leaving her to find her own way.

From the beginning, she rationed stores from her pantry and went without to make ends meet, anything to keep bread on the table. Day after day, month after month, she found grit to keep going, to parent her growing boy through lonely grief.

But today she’d reached the end. Brushing away hot tears, she set about with grim resolve to find firewood and get home.

Bending to pick up a large branch, someone called to her. She looked up and saw a traveler dressed like an Israelite. She’d heard stories of the neighboring Hebrews and their Hebrew God.

“Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?” the stranger asked.

She nodded in respect and turned toward the well.

“And bring me, please, a piece of bread,” he added.

His words caught her short. Turning slowly toward him, she kept her eyes on her bare feet as she answered, “I don’t have any bread—only a handful of flour in a jar and a little olive oil in a jug. I am gathering a few sticks to take home to make a meal for myself and my son, that we may eat it—and die.”

The despair in these words is piercing. She could see no other choice. She was out of options. Out of resources. Out of hope.

While you probably haven’t had to gather wood to make a last meal, maybe you know a similar kind of hopelessness as the widow in 1 Kings 17. But hopelessness wasn’t the end of this young woman’s story. God was doing something that far exceeded her difficult circumstances. The stranger from Israel was none other than Elijah the prophet, whom God had sent to this destitute widow.

Though she only had enough flour and oil for one last loaf for her and her son, Elijah told her to first make bread for him.

“For this is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says,” Elijah relayed. “The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the Lord sends rain on the land” (1 Kings 17:14).

This was a huge ask. Elijah was asking for all she had.

But the young widow did as Elijah instructed, and afterward, her flour jar never went empty and her oil jar never ran dry, just as God had promised. In fact, there was enough to feed the widow, her family, and Elijah throughout the entire multi-year drought.

Our world of microwaves and cell phones may look different from this widow’s world, but she teaches us three huge lessons on hope.

Our circumstances never tell the whole story; they tell only what we can see. But the eternal God is our refuge, and always, always underneath are his everlasting arms. You may be facing big unknowns. You may be at the end of your own ability, and you may not see the way through your circumstances. But the end of your rope is the middle of God’s story.

The end of your rope is the middle of God’s story.

First Kings 17 tells us God initially provided for Elijah through ravens, who made a daily bread delivery to him. If that seems crazy, it’s just as farfetched that God provided for Elijah through a woman—and not only a woman, but a widow, and a gentile at that!

As a gentile widow living outside of Israel, she was outside the protections of Jewish law and would have been among the most poor and needy. But God’s resources are unlimited and his timing is perfect. We may not see a way through, but there is never hopelessness with God.

I imagine this young mom watched her flour and oil dwindle for months. Maybe if she knocked every last bit from the container’s sides and left her oil jar to hang upside down, she’d get just enough to make one last loaf.

Long before she ever reached the place of need, God knew how he would meet it.

Her flour was getting low, but God would send Elijah.

Her oil was running thin, but God would send Elijah.

She began to gather sticks for a last meal, but God would send Elijah.

Right now, in your desperate need, God knows how he’s going to care for you. In fact, God knows how he will meet needs you don’t even have yet.

• God will provide guidance as you need it.
• God will provide wisdom as you need it.
• God will provide comfort as you need it.
• God will provide materially as you need it.
• God will provide grace as you need it.
• God will provide for each circumstance as you need it.

God owns the cattle on a thousand hills, and he could have hand-delivered one to this woman. But instead, he asked her to trust and obey. She had to give the last of what she had to the Elijah, trusting God’s promise that he wouldn’t let her flour or oil run out until the drought was over.

See, God wanted more than to simply meet this woman’s needs. It wasn’t just that she was physically poor; she was spiritually impoverished as well.

God wanted this woman living in a gentile country outside of Israel to know him as the one true God. He was wooing her.

When she trusted God with everything she had, God provided everything she needed.

And of course, God was faithful to his promise as he only can be. For three years, every time she reached into that jar of flour, there was enough. Every time she poured oil from the jar, there was enough. Every time she made cakes for Elijah, there was enough. When her growing boy was hungry, there was enough.

God provided for Elijah, this woman, and her son when she trusted God with everything she had.

God wants the same for us. When you find yourself at the end of hope and in deep need, God will meet your need—he promises us that. But he wants more for you. He wants to feed your soul and give you eternal hope beyond this life.

There is no hopelessness in God. And while there are tests of faith, there is no lack in God either. The same God who provided for Elijah and this widow in drought and desperation is the same God who is faithful to us as well, if we will trust and obey.

Blessings Soul Friends,

When life shatters and you're navigating a life you didn't sign up for, Lisa provides compassionate, Biblical insight to help you find your footing, process raw emotion and anchor your threadbare hope to see you will not merely survive this, but that life can be good again.

Click on book image below to learn more.

Lisa Appelo is a speaker and writer who inspires women to cultivate faith in life's storms.  Nine years ago, Lisa became a sudden widow and single mom to 7.  She's passionate about rich Bible study and has taught a weekly ladies Bible class for many years.  Grab your free copy of Flourish in Life's Unexpected at LisaAppelo.com  

Revival ... Often times, great awakenings begin with just a few praying people who invite others to join them.

What might happen if the people of today’s church began praying in earnest for our churches and church leaders?

In “Praying For Revival” we learned that the much needed revival of our churches begins with personal revival within each of our own hearts. Once that type of soul deep individual revival occurs, it can’t help but spill out and into our homes, churches and communities.

Can you just imagine a powerful flood of revival washing through our churches and out into our communities?! Hallelujah!

Will you join me in praying for our churches? Will you take up the call to pray for revival within your own church?

I have created a daily journal, easy to download and print, which we can use each day. Included in this printable are twelve scripture based prayer prompts or ways you can pray for your church family. Included with each of these prayer prompts, is a short prayer starter and plenty of space for you to journal your personal prayer. When praying, be specific for your church, name names, mention specific needs. Personalize the given scriptures inserting names and circumstances.

Let’s plant the seeds for revival in the fields of prayer.

Would you also consider inviting some friends to join you?

Share these scripture prayer prompts with others in your church and pray together. Set aside a specific time to pray each day and have everyone focus on the same daily topic. Then after 12 days of Praying For Your Church Family, begin again; use the same prayer prompts or add a few more of your own.

Prayer is not reserved for a special occasion or meant to be just a way to get what we want.

It is a conversation with our Heavenly Father who seeks relationship with each of us. So let these 12 days of prayer be a catalyst to grow your prayer life and a deeper relationship with the Almighty God.

Dear Lord, we thank You that we can come directly to You with our needs. It is more than I can comprehend that You want to have a personal relationship with each of us. Thank You for hearing our prayers. Help guide our hearts to pray for the needs of our churches and our own church families.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Blessings Soul Friends

Download Praying For Your Church, a 12 day Scripture based prayer journal. Print a copy for personal use or share with your friends.

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a born and raised Texas girl who has a heart for studying God’s Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same. She is the author of Let Your Light Shine: Being a Light in a Dark World; Praying For Revival; Inspiring Women: Who They Are and How To Be One and Gracious Words: Speaking with Kindness and Mercy; and the illustrator of the scripture based Garden of Life Coloring Book and Coloring the Scriptures.

“You should stay home.”

Who knew four little words would hurt so bad.

Even more than “your son has autism”.

I was at a park that day with my friends and their children. My older son was two and my younger son was a few months old. These outings were frequent, we were all stay-at-home moms, our husbands traveled, and our get-togethers saved our sanity.

Both my boys were melting down. The youngest was hungry, and frustrated that mom was taking so long. But the oldest? I hadn’t a clue. These were the ‘pre-autism’ days. He was always my happy, go lucky boy, but that day he was inconsolable. 

He wasn’t tired, he wasn’t hungry or thirsty, he didn’t need his diaper changed. He wasn’t able to tell me what was wrong from his still small vocabulary. While his little brother was calmed by a bottle, there was nothing working to make him happy. 

Was this the terrible twos I always heard about? I was the first in my mom group to have a second baby. I had nothing to compare it to. I quickly packed us up that day and we headed home in the car, all of us in tears.

I don’t remember what finally calmed my older son that day, maybe the car ride, maybe getting back home, maybe his favorite Blues Clues video. But I do remember the phone calls that came that afternoon from my friends.

“I’m going to drop off a book on discipline. Maybe he needed a good spanking.”

“Maybe getting out with two small children is a little too much for you and perhaps you should stay home for a while instead.” 

You should stay home. Four little words that hurt so big.

In their defense, my friends didn’t understand what was going on any more than I did.

It would be several more months as my son’s plateau in development became more obvious before we heard the other four little words, “your son has autism”.

We didn’t know what autism was and didn’t know anyone with a child with autism. Googling autism back then made his future look grim, leading to more calls from friends, now with questions.

“Will he be able to go to school?”
“Will he ever live on his own?”
“Will he ever get married?”

Not very helpful. 

Maybe staying home wasn’t such a bad idea after all. Hiding out and trying to understand what was going on and how best to help my son seemed like the right answer.

But God knew the journey we were embarking on, and the help I would need, long before I did. 

When our neighbor heard the news, his family immediately began praying for us. He gave us the number of a friend of his who was a mom just a few years ahead of us on the autism journey.

When I reached out, she had just come home from the hospital with a newborn. She had other children at home, one with autism, and yet she found time to spend on the phone with me. She shared everything she knew about early intervention for autism, preschool resources to help us, and her prayers for us.

God brought her to us right when we needed her and he would continue to do that time and time again.

I remember my mother-in-law passing along a prayer request from a friend at church. It was a mom whose son also had autism and I immediately reached out. We discovered our sons with autism were the same age. Their siblings were the same age. She has been a lifesaver for me in more ways than one, and 20 years later, we are still dear friends.

God would continue to open the doors to family and friends that were helpful in providing support and prayers for us. He would also help us set boundaries and give grace to others who weren’t.

God knew our hearts needed to hear four little words again from family and friends.

How can I pray?

How can I help?

Every family’s needs are different, and they change throughout the years. But one thing that remains the same is needing your prayers and support.

And when you don’t know what to pray or how to help, ask God those same four little words and He will answer.

Blessings Soul Friends,

National Autism Organizations
https://autismsociety.org
https://nationalautismassociation.org
https://www.autismspeaks.org
These organizations provide lots of information on the national, state, and local levels, including information on resources below. Be sure to look for local parent support groups, and resources for legal and financial planning in your state including special needs trusts, and guardianship at age 18 if needed.

Early Childhood Services (under age 3)
https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/actearly/parents/state-text.html
If your child is experiencing development delays before their third birthday, contact your state's Early Childhood Services. They can provide speech, occupational, physical therapies, and behavior support and help with the transition to your school district at age 3.

School District (age three and up)
https://www2.ed.gov/about/contacts/state/index.html
School districts provide educational services for ages 3-22. Connect with your Special Education Director for help with evaluations, diagnosis, early childhood intervention and preschool programs, behavior intervention, and parent training. All services are dependent upon your Individualized Education Plan (IEP). Be sure to ask about parent support groups and other resources on this list.

State Workforce Agencies
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/wotc/contact/state-workforce-agencies
If your child is 18 or over, check to see what services your state offers to assist with employment if needed.
Your school will also help with this in their Transition plan.

Medicaid State Waivers
https://www.medicaid.gov/medicaid/section-1115-demo/demonstration-and-waiver-list/index.html
These programs are not dependent on family income, but your child's diagnosis and may differ state to state. They provide therapies, in-home and out-of-home respite, attendant services, day programs, and residential services for adults. Get on all the waitlists for services even if your child does not need them yet as the waitlists can be long (ie. In TX our waitlist is 15+ years). You never know what the future will bring.

Special Needs Ministries
https://www.joniandfriends.org
Seek support through a Special Needs Ministry at a local church. If your church doesn't have one, reach out to Joni and Friends and they can provide information on starting one or recommendations to churches in the area that have one. They may also offer a parent support group.

**Disclaimer: this is not meant to be medical or legal advice. Please consult appropriate resources above. This is not an all-inclusive list as every state is different, and the needs of every family are unique.

Kim Stewart is a wife and mom of two adult sons.  Her oldest son, Heath, was diagnosed with autism at age 3.  She's also a book marketing strategist for Christian nonfiction authors and host of the Book Marketing Mania podcast.  When she's not working behind the scenes, you'll find her in Dallas enjoying time with her family, and indulging in coffee, caramel and Friends reruns.  Connect with Kim at kimstewartmarketing.com

What is hope? Is it a wishy- washy maybe or a kind of unsure optimism? The modern idea of hope is “to wish for, to expect, but without certainty of the fulfillment; to desire very much, but with no real assurance of getting your desire.”

But for Christians, hope is so much more than a wish.
Hope is ... confident expectation.
Hope is ... sure certainty.
Hope is ... knowing that what God has promised in the Word is true, has occurred, and or will in accordance with God’s sure Word.


Let's take a look at what the following scriptures tell us about hope in God,

“Are there any among the false gods of the nations that can bring rain? Or can the heavens give showers? Are you not he, O LORD our God? We set our hope on you, for you do all these things.” Jeremiah 14:22

“For to this end we toil and strive, because we have our hope set on the living God, who is the Savior of all people, especially of those who believe”. 1 Timothy 4:10

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?” Romans 8:24

Read more about Hope in the Grace issue of Sweet To The Soul FAITH Magazine.

We have curated 31 Scriptures to help you dive deeper into God's Word to learn what God has to tell us about hope. Keep scrolling to the bottom of this page to access a printable list of these Scriptures.

Dear Lord,
We come to you today filled with hope and a grateful heart.
There are many days that we can thank you for the abundant
hope You so lovingly provide. There are other days when
we run into seemingly hopeless situations, and You are there
to scoop us up in your protective hands, reassuring us that
our faith in You is all that is needed.

Father, continue to fill our days with hope as a reminder that
you are the God who comforts us and meets our every need.
It is You who fills us with joy and peace as we trust in You.
Living a life filled with hope requires us to commit to the Word,
read the Word, and stay in the Word. Our comfort lies in
Your faithfulness, protection, strength, and grace.
You hear our pleas and answer our prayers according
to Your Will.

Help us to walk in Your light and to remember that You
are the God of hope, whose love is endless.
.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.

~ Mitzi Neely

As you read through the Scriptures featured, consider:

• How do each of the Scriptures help to support the understanding "Ultimately for the Christian believer, our hope is in the fulfillment of the promise of salvation and everlasting life in heaven with God the father."
• How does understanding the meaning of hope as "waiting patiently, expectation, trust, confidence in God" impact your understanding of each Scripture?
• Given both of these definitions, what does each Scripture reveal to you about God?

Download this printable HOPE Scripture List and keep in your Bible or journal for quick reference.

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a born and raised Texas girl who has a heart for studying God’s Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same. She is the author of Let Your Light Shine: Being a Light in a Dark World; Praying For Revival; Inspiring Women: Who They Are and How To Be One and Gracious Words: Speaking with Kindness and Mercy; and the illustrator of the scripture based Garden of Life Coloring Book and Coloring the Scriptures.

How would you define your home?

The dictionary app on my phone lists over two dozen definitions for the word “home”.

I like this one, “the place in which one’s domestic affections are centered.” Or how about, “a principal base of operations or activities.” Although some days it does feel like “one of three attack positions..”.

Whether it is large or small; owned, rented or borrowed; temporary or sort of permanent; new, old, or somewhere in-between; we all have some place we call home.

Home is our very personal private space. It’s our family space. It’s where real life happens with real life people feeling real feelings and fighting real battles. If your home is like our home, we celebrate here, we play here, we cry here, we argue here, we contend here, we eat here, we entertain here, we learn here, we work here, we live life here everyday.

What place is more central to our lives than home?

So I want to invite you to do something you may have never done, or if you have, then I want to encourage you to do it again -  pray over your home.

There is really no specific way you have to do this, but I am going to share with you how I like to pray over my home.

A prayer walk is pretty simple, it is exactly what it says, you pray as you walk. I like to pray and walk around my neighborhood. It’s a great stress reliever and helps me recenter.

But in this particular case, we are going to pray as we walk around our home.

“Our home” is where you live right now. It may be a 3 bedroom, 3 bath in the burbs, it may be a one room apartment or space in the city. It may be a space on loan from a friend, or it may even be a place you don’t really want to be. But we are going to walk all of these home places and spaces together.

We are each going to invite and welcome God into our homes. We are going to walk Him around our private spaces and talk to Him in those rooms.

To begin, we are going outside. Walk all the way around your house praying, not just for the physical structure but for all of your family and residents.

Then move inside, walking through each room praying for that room’s purpose and family member. Pray for any specific needs of that person and your personal relationship with them, remembering to always include thanksgiving.

1. Dedicate your whole house and residents to God.
“And if it is evil in your eyes to serve the LORD, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your fathers served in the region beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” Joshua 24:15

2. Build your family’s spiritual foundation on God.
“He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built.” Luke 6:48

3. Protection from the outside world.
“He has made strong the iron bands of your doors; he has sent blessings on your children inside your walls.” Psalm 147:13 (BBE)

4. The building of unity and healthy relationships.
“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” Colossians 3:12-17

5. Create a welcoming environment for others.
“Contribute to the needs of the saints and seek to show hospitality.” Romans 12:13

6. Bless the food and share with others.
“He took the seven loaves and the fish, and having given thanks he broke them and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds.” Matthew 15:36

7. Pray for good health and well being.
“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul.” 3 John 1:2

8. Develop a harmonious marital relationship.
“With all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Ephesians 4:2-3

9. Teach your children to follow God.
“Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name.” Psalm 86:11

10. A blessing for peace.
“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” Numbers 6:24-26

11. Dedicate your work to God.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.“ Colossians 3:23-24

Download this printable of the 11 Scriptures featured above and keep in your Bible or journal for quick reference. 

Jana Kennedy Spicer is a born and raised Texas girl who has a heart for studying God’s Word and is passionate about encouraging women to do the same. She is the author of Let Your Light Shine: Being a Light in a Dark World; Praying For Revival; Inspiring Women: Who They Are and How To Be One and Gracious Words: Speaking with Kindness and Mercy; and the illustrator of the scripture based Garden of Life Coloring Book and Coloring the Scriptures.