GT Weekend

The GT Weekend ~ Beloved Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) God delights to give good gifts to His children. We know “every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights.” (James 1:17) Marriage, as we saw in Monday’s Journey Study, is a delightful gift from the Lord. God’s plan for marriage was for a man and woman to delight in one another and to reflect His love to the world. Married woman, are you delighting in your husband, or are you focusing on where he is lacking? Are you trusting in God’s plan for your marriage and finding ways to show your husband that you enjoy him, or are you focusing on pleasing yourself? Write down one way you will show your husband you desire him AND one way you can grow in your desire for God. Unmarried sister, have you entrusted the Lord with your desires? Are you living each day to the glory of God, trusting that His timing is perfect? Write down any area in your life that you have believed God is holding back a good gift from you, and ask Him to reveal His heart toward you in that area.

2) In Wednesday’s Journey, we read about the beauty of intimacy between lovers. Merry listed four traits the intimate couple in Song of Solomon display for one another. They are transparent, honest, vulnerable, and purposeful. Transparency, honesty, vulnerability, and intentioned purpose can each help us grow in relationship with our spouse and with our God. These traits also require trust and courage to live out in real life because they open us up to the possibility of being hurt. To the married woman, where are you holding back in your marriage for fear of being hurt? Marriage relationships are complicated and messy when it comes to trust and vulnerability. Neither are easy. As wives, we can only be responsible for ourselves, not the actions and heart attitudes of our husbands. As far as it depends on you, list specific ways you can move deeper into vulnerability and intimacy with your spouse. Consider if there are sins on your side that may be hindering your relationship and pray through these and share with your spouse. Write down specific areas or actionable ways you can begin increasing vulnerability with your husband. Ask God to give you courage and to enable you to take steps to love your husband well. To all sisters, how are you pursuing intimacy with your Heavenly Father? Take time today to verbalize or write down ways you have been holding back from trusting the Lord; ask Him to help you seek intimacy with Him.

3) Before marriage, we can build up expectations for how married life will be, but because we live in a broken world, and we marry broken people, marriage often falls short of our grand expectations. Personally, I thought my husband would always know exactly what to say or do to make me feel better, but surprise! He can’t read my mind. Women, what are you asking from the men in your life (whether implicitly or directly) that only God can provide? Are you hoping for your husband (current or future) to make you secure with his words and actions, or to heal your broken places? Are you demanding he provide you with stability and peace in a tumultuous situation? Look to Jesus. Only Jesus can heal and provide us with true satisfaction. Confess where you have fallen short, and ask the Lord to help you find your satisfaction in Him. For wives, this frees your husband to be the man he is able to be, rather than burden him with unrealistic expectations.  For single women, this allows you to find satisfaction in your current season. If God provides a husband for you, you will be setting a course for a healthy relationship, loosed from the chains of unrealistic expectations.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Proverbs 31:10-12 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Who can find a wife of noble character?
She is far more precious than jewels.
The heart of her husband trusts in her,
and he will not lack anything good.
She rewards him with good, not evil,
all the days of her life.

Prayer Journal
Oh Lord, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth. You alone can satisfy the deepest longings of my heart. You alone can heal my broken places and pursue me with perfect love. Oh that I would find my satisfaction in You! Forgive me for the idols of my heart, for my worship of lesser loves. Help me to identify and eliminate all distractions that would keep me from loving You rightly. Help me to honor my husband by following You as Lord and not asking him to do a job he was never intended to do. Show me where I have sinned against my husband, and help me to humbly seek restoration with him. I ask You to continue to bless my marriage with joy and satisfaction and desire. Thank You that Your design for marriage is good. Remind me that my marriage is a picture to a broken world of the love You have for Your church and of her desire to follow You. Finally, I pray for my sisters who are longing to be married. Help them to find their satisfaction in You. Help them to pursue a life-giving relationship with You, and to be content in every situation, trusting that Your timing and Your plans are best.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Beloved Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Our Journey from Monday closes with the challenge, “Regardless of your marital status, draw close to the Lord and risk being unmasked before Him. The love, passion, and connection experienced there is well worth the being seen.” As a single woman, I often longed for a husband with whom I could share my deepest longings and my truest self. As a married woman, I have encountered the truth of a broken world that no human relationship is perfect. While my husband and I have a secure relationship, we still need to work to be vulnerable and open with one another. Marriage will not, and cannot, solve all our problems. Sit down this week and have an honest conversation with the Lord. Read 2 Corinthians 3 again and consider what it would look like for you to approach the presence of God with an “unveiled face.” Beloved, the Father knows your weaknesses. Do not be ashamed to approach Him and ask for His favor. He is delighted to be with you; delight in His presence. To take it a step further, consider sharing with your spouse or a close friend what you are learning from God, either in this area or another area of growth. As you connect with others, you are helping one another grow in intimacy with the Lord!

2) Sarah attests that our God-crafted differences give us cause to celebrate rather than be divisive in our closest relationships. Can you imagine how beautiful our marriages, and relationships with other believers would be, if we saw each role as uniquely crafted and desperately needed? The imagery God uses of a head and body give us a picture of oneness. The head cannot be separated from the body and still function, and the same is true for the body. How can you intentionally celebrate your spouse’s differences this week? Often, the longer we are married, those idiosyncrasies that annoy us most give us insight into how God created our spouse as wonderfully different than ourselves. Instead of jumping to frustration, and our own perspective this weekend, celebrate how God made your husband different! Whether you’re single or married, learning to assess your own uniqueness, while allowing another person to be different without detracting from you is a huge milestone in relational maturity! Take time this week to encourage the differences you see in the people who are closest to you, and praise God His creativity in crafting us as unique beings.

3) The woman in Song of Solomon adamantly pursues her lover until she finds him.  She does not waiver in her pursuit, and she is rewarded with love and acceptance when she finds him. The world tells us that to get love, we have to play “hard to get,” but this is a power play aimed at manipulation and gaining an upper hand. In God’s kingdom, we are called to lay down our power and be authentic with one another. We all long to be pursued, but are we willing to take the steps toward pursing another? Wives, where are you struggling in your marriage? What are some steps you can take to pursue your husband and rekindle intimacy? Where do you need God’s healing hand to cover your marriage and enable you and your husband to reconnect? Write a prayer asking God for His help, understanding that there is no topic that is off-limits to God. He knows your desires and He knows where you need help. Single sisters, are you pursing God as your highest good? Are you pursing deep friendships with other women in your circle? Are you practicing authentic intimacy with the people God has placed in your life? Write some ways that you can faithfully serve and pursue God in your singleness and commit to practicing those steps.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Love is patient, love is kind. Love does not envy, is not boastful, is not arrogant, is not rude, is not self-seeking, is not irritable, and does not keep a record of wrongs. Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Prayer Journal
“Let us enter His presence with thanksgiving; let us shout triumphantly to Him in song.” (Psalm 95:2). Lord, You are so good to us! You have made a way for Your children to enter into your presence, to have real and intimate relationship with You, and to have deep relationships with others. I confess I have hidden myself from You. Like Adam in the garden, I have attempted to hide my sin in my shame. As I hide from You, I hide from the people I love the most, shunning your gift of grace and pushing away those who love me. I have not pursued intimate relationships with the dedication and faithfulness You have freed me to experience. Thank You that I do not need to live in shame! Thank You for making a way for us to be reconciled to You and one another. Help me live with an unveiled face before You. Help me to pursue and build intimate and life-giving relationships with others. Empower my relationships to reflect the unity and oneness befitting children of the Most High God. You said the world around us would know Your people by their love for one another. (John 13:35) Help me to live my life honoring You and showing others Your great love.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship VII Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) “He Will Hold Me Fast” has been a theme song for me through the last few months as we have experienced uncertainty surrounding stay-at-home orders, political and social unrest, and even natural disasters which have shaken our world. The reminder that Christ will hold me fast is a blessing and a comfort to my weary soul. I don’t need to strive or work harder to be safe, because the God of creation is my safety. Consider setting aside some time this week to go for a quiet walk and reflect on what God is doing in your life right now. How is He holding you fast? Listen to this song before you go, and then leave the distractions behind. As you walk, talk to God specifically about the ways you have seen Him work, the ways you have hoped in Him, and the ways you continue to trust Him. You could even write down a few Scriptures beforehand to take with you and refer to as you walk so you can pray them back to Him.

2) What a profound and stirring truth we read in this Journey! The God of the Universe stepped down from Heaven while we were yet sinners, with not one good deed to our credit, and gave His life so we could be justified to Him. We have the opportunity to be saved from a life of sin and death and utter darkness, and to be brought into true unity and love with the only wise and good God. Because of the work Jesus did, your sins can be erased. Have you accepted God’s free gift of salvation? If not, what is holding you back? Stop here and write down your objections. Then go to a Christian friend or pastor and ask them your questions. Don’t let anything hold you back from the Good New of Jesus. If you have believed, are you faithfully walking in the freedom of your calling? Are you living as a victorious child of the King? Or are you continuing to enjoy the sins of the flesh? Beloved, Jesus died so you could live as a wholly authentic human. You do not need to carry the burdens of your sins any longer. Name your burdens and lay them down at the foot of the cross. Ask the Lord to carry them far from you. Remember, His work is what makes you free!

3) Amazing Grace is a well-known and well-loved hymn, not only in the church, but also in the culture at large. Something about the reminder of God’s grace poured out on sinners, bringing light to our eyes, and helping us find our way, strikes deep in the hearts of men and women. John Newton was not a perfect man, and he was well aware of this fact. It may seem harsh to call oneself a wretch, but surely we know without Christ, we have no good thing to offer. Have you ever considered where you would be today without the amazing grace of Jesus? While it is not healthy to wallow in self-doubt and pity, it can be good to consider what God has saved us from. Consider the trajectory of your life before you knew Christ. Even if you were saved at a young age, you know your sinful tendencies. Consider how those would play out un-checked by the Spirit. Write down a possible scenario of what your life would be like, had He not intervened. Spend time thanking God and worshiping Him for His great work in your life.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Lamentations 3:22-24 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great it your faithfulness! I say, “The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in Him.”

Prayer Journal
Great and merciful God, Your abundant love for me has drawn me to my knees. You were brought low that I may have life in You. Jesus, You allowed men to treat You shamefully and brutally murder You so I may have life to the full through Your victory. I did not, nor do I, deserve Your compassion, but You have lavished it upon me continuously. Help me to never forget the depths of Your great love. I confess I have sinned against You. I have taken for granted Your precious gift of life and have chosen to go my own way. Cause me to hate my sin. Help me to take up my cross, die to myself, and follow You daily. Thank You for Your forgiveness and Your never-ending mercy. Show me how I can reflect Your goodness to the people around me. Make me aware of the needs of my community and shape my heart to value sacrificial service over pleasant comfort. May I abide in You, remembering You have prepared good works for me to do so that I may walk in them. I know following You requires discipline, and You give strength to Your servants. Thank You for Your marvelous work of transformation in my life.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship VII Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) What a glorious thought! Jesus has gone to prepare a place for His family. For those who believe in Jesus, there is an eternal home waiting for us without tears or pain or suffering. We will dwell forever in the house of God! When was the last time you thought about what heaven will be like? Have you spent time contemplating the majesty and wonder of a God who is pleased to be with His people, creating a place for them that is perfect and beautiful? What will it be like to live in a perfect world, in perfect relationship with God, with no sin to get in the way? Sit with these questions today. Imagine deeply what God has promised us in the resurrection. Look back through the verses Quantrilla referenced in our Journey Study yesterday and visualize the glory awaiting God’s people. Write a prayer thanking God for His good plans and telling Him what you are most delighted by as you consider the “sweet by and by.”

2) Throughout Scripture, our life in Christ is referred to as a race or some other physical competition. Running a race requires stamina and endurance, determination and discipline. How often do we become weary in our day-to-day life between the demands of others and seemingly endless checklists? At times, it can feel more like we are running in a hamster wheel than actually pressing on toward a goal. Regardless of our feelings, our sure hope is we do not need to run this race in our own strength! We can put our faith in Christ and trust in His faithfulness to sustain us. As Lesley pointed out, “faith is a matter of focus.” Are you trusting in your own will power, strength, or ability to “finish your race”? Or are you turning your eyes to the faithfulness of Christ, resting in His power, strength, and ability to carry you across the finish line? Is there an area in your life where you have not fully turned your fears over to Him? Take some time today to consider where you are struggling and reorient your focus in those areas to Christ. Ask God to show you His faithfulness, knowing He does great things.

3) Jesus Christ is the great King of Kings! If we really believe this truth, our response should be one of worship and praise for the great work which He has done. Marietta reminded us that Jesus came to Earth at the end of a period of four hundred years of apparent silence from God. The people had been waiting for a promised Messiah; yet, many did not know or recognize Him when He finally arrived. Have you ever gone through a season where it seemed like God was silent? What was your response in that time? How did God come through for you in the end? Reflect today on the faithfulness of God in seasons past, and let this reality encourage you right now. Perhaps you are currently in a season where God seems quiet. How are you responding to His quiet? Are you continuing to walk in faith, even when God seems distant? How can you press into the waiting season and trust in God as King of Kings, and believe He will be faithful to you? Talk to God honestly today about your struggles, big and small. Ask Him to reveal Himself to you and help you remember His goodness.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Jude 1:24-25 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

Prayer Journal
King of Kings, Lord of Lords, God above all. You are great and mighty, yet You choose to care for the weak and lowly. You are faithful, even when Your people are faithless. Thank You for Your loving kindness towards me. Thank You that my life has meaning, not because of who I am or what I do, but because of who You are and what You have done for me. Even when my days are hard, and my weakness is on display, You are constantly faithful. It is only by faith in You and through Your faithful work that I have any hope of salvation. While the world around me seems shaky, when I don’t know who or what to believe, when my future feels uncertain, thank You for holding me fast. Thank You that I do not need to fix myself or my circumstances. Thank You for sustaining the world. Help me to lay down my need for control and certainty. Help me to trust in Your unending goodness.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship VII Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) “Be still and know”. In a society which urges us at every moment to hustle harder, hurry to the next thing, and do more, the King of Kings calls His beloved children to be still. He calls those who love Him to cease their striving, to rest in His goodness and His completed work. He has always been faithful, and He will continue in His faithfulness. No amount of work or hustle can change His faithfulness toward you. Over the last six months since Covid-19 hit, some of us had the opportunity to slow down and sit with our thoughts as we have been kept at home, while others of us have had more and more responsibilities heaped on our plates beyond what we can manage. Spend some time today considering your response to God’s call to be still. Where in your life are you striving and working to make yourself better? Where are you resisting the gift of rest God has provided for you? Set aside some time this week to practice stillness. This may require getting up a little earlier or coordinating with your spouse to allow for some time away. Find space to rest, listen to God’s gentle leading, worship Him with honest transparency, and renew your soul by remembering “the Lord is on your side.”

2) “Love so amazing, so divine, demands my soul, my life, my all.” Jesus gave His life on the wondrous cross so we who believe might be united to Him. This unity demands we die to our selfish desires and relinquish any control we think we have over our lives. In Philippians 3, Paul tells his readers he has lost everything for the sake of Jesus, but considers all he lost as nothing because he has gained Christ. As followers of Christ, we will face suffering. This is the nature of our broken world. How have you responded to suffering in your life? Have you allowed God to make you new, even in the midst of suffering, or are you carrying around bitterness? Write down a current or recent struggle, then intentionally turn it over to the Lord. Ask for His help as you navigate this suffering. Name specific heart responses you have had toward your difficult situation, both positive and negative. Praise God for His work in you! If you’ve never died to yourself, knowing you have no righteousness on your own apart from Jesus, (Philippians 3:9) take these moments to repent from sin, asking Him to bring you the fullness of life only He can offer!

3)It is easy to forget all that went into securing our hope of salvation. Jesus was brought down low in order that we who trust in Him could be united to Him. He suffered and died so He might invite the weary and burdened to follow Him and take up His easy yoke. I don’t know about you, but I am humbled that anyone would choose to die such a horrific death on my behalf; much less Jesus himself who stepped down from the highest heaven to become the lowest servant. This sobering thought should lead us to consider how we can serve others. What could we possibly do that Jesus Himself has not already done to serve the Church? How can I ever possibly think I am above any position of service? Where is God calling you to lay down your life and serve others today? Is there a need for volunteers in your church? Do you have a friend or neighbor in need of encouragement or a meal? Ask God to show you ways you can reflect the humility of Christ by serving those in need around you. Make a plan to serve at least one person this week because Jesus came low to serve you.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Romans 8:37-39 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Prayer Journal
Lord, quiet my heart. Help me to be still and consider the greatness of the gifts You have given Your people. Thank You that You are on my side, despite what the world tells me. I know You gave Your Son to die on a cross, so I might have life to the full. Help me to never take Your gift for granted! Remind me the wonderful cross was the ultimate sacrifice for my ultimate good. Give me courage, strength, and perseverance to die to myself and live out my union with Christ. And oh! Let me not forget the glory awaiting me in the life to come! Let my weary soul find rest in the comfort of knowing that one day, I will dwell in Your presence. I trust You are preparing a place for me, and I find joy in knowing You will make all things new. As I consider what heaven will be like, help me to live out the principles of Your Kingdom “on earth, as it is in heaven.” Let me abide in Your perfect love and share Your love with the world around me. May I be full of Your goodness and truth.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Calling Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Merry took us really deep, really fast in Monday’s Journey Study. Paul is calling Christians to be people of light who speak truth in love. He is challenging Jesus-followers to not be blinded by lies and darkness, but to call out evil and walk in truth. Merry asked a series of questions that bears repeating, “Beloved, what drives you? Are you ruled by your feelings, or by your Father? Are you more vested in the things the world holds dear, or the things of your Father’s Kingdom?” Every day we hear messages from the world about what we should value and believe. Do those messages line up with Scripture? Could these messages be clouding your vision and darkening your eyes to the truth? Make a list of ways you hear messages from the world that don’t reflect God’s truth. (think Instagram, Netflix, the news, romance novels, etc.) Make plans to fast for a period of time from one or more of those sources of information, and intentionally repurpose your time to seek out God’s truth. Set a specific time frame for your fast (one day, one weekend, a whole week), and then at the close of your time, reflect on the truths you have gained from the Lord.

2) What comes to your mind, when you first hear the word submission? Our culture sees submission as a dirty word as it seemingly goes against some of our deepest and oldest values of liberty and independence. In Ephesians, Paul says those who follow Jesus ought to submit to the authorities in their lives and to one another in love. As people who seek to honor God, we should look different from the rest of the world. Does your spirit push back on this idea like mine does? Submission is uncomfortable and leaves us open to vulnerability, but biblical submission born of love is one aspect of the Christian life we are invited to rest in. Take some time to evaluate your life. Where do you need to practice submission? Do you have a boss who really grinds your gears? Or maybe you are struggling to make a decision with your husband? What about a family member or friend whom you are butting heads with as you each want your own way? Write down one specific, actionable step you can take this week to mend a damaged relationship by submitting your will to another. Ask God to give you courage and humility to take the first step in faith.

3) The full armor of God is our toolkit to help Christians in our battle against darkness. As people who follow Jesus, we are told first to “be strengthened by the Lord and by His vast strength.” Only then are we to put on the full armor of God. Without the power and strength of Jesus Christ and the work of the Holy Spirit, our efforts to make ourselves faithful will fall flat. We need to be “plugged into Jesus” as we were told in yesterday’s journey. How can we do that? The spiritual disciplines of Bible reading and meditation along with prayer are a great place to start. Ephesians 6:18 tells believers to “pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request…” As you go through your day, problems arise. You will experience difficulties and discouraging circumstances. Pray about them. You will also experience joyful times and blessings. Thank God for them! You don’t need to wait until you have your journal and a cup of coffee to talk to God. Slip your conversation with Him into every spare moment of your day. Make a list of concerns you are praying about right now. Post them in a place you will see them like above your kitchen sink, as the background of your phone, on your bathroom mirror, or on your steering wheel. Watch expectantly to see how Jesus strengthens you for each task you set your mind to.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 138:3,7-8 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

On the day I called, You answered me;
You increased strength within me.
If I walk into the thick of danger,
You will preserve my life
from the anger of my enemies.
You will extend your hand;
Your right hand will save me.
The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.
Lord, Your faithful love endures forever;
do not abandon the work of Your hands.

Prayer Journal
To you, oh God, I lift up my voice. Father, Son, and Spirit, Three in One. You are the source of all good things. You are the One who answers prayers and provides Your people with all strength and sustenance. Remind me of my need for You. Remind me of my need for Your goodness and grace. Help me to submit, in spite of my own stubborn will, to the authority and needs of those around me. As I remember my need for You, help me to be drawn into conversation with You. Let my prayers to You be as natural to me as the very breath I breath. I confess I am easily distracted by the cares and values of the world. I often desire my own will and my own way. Help me to be so delighted by you, I cannot help but worship. Thank You for Your consistent and assuring presence in my life and for Your answers to my prayers. Let me be ever more aware of Your desires. Help me turn away from the false stories and messages the world is so quick to offer and listen instead to Your Word of truth.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched VIII Week 2

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Lazarus had a story to tell. Back from the dead! Talk about the very best come-back-story! The truly radical part of Lazarus’ story, however, wasn’t found in his silent heart beginning to beat again, it was in how Jesus had changed his heart his sisters forever. One day, Lazarus’ body stopped working again, and it didn’t start back up, but his soul was safe forever in the presence of the Lord. Because Lazarus had trusted Jesus with much more than his body, the radical part of his story was that one day, Lazarus would live forever with Jesus Christ in fullness and sweetness. You and I weren’t buried in a tomb and brought back to life, but this picture is the same for our souls. Before trusting Jesus with our everything, our souls were chained up in sin and death. After Jesus, we are free, alive, radically made new! Is this you?! Made new? Tell your radical story!! Pick one person to share with this week! If you aren’t absolutely certain you have a “death-to-life” story with Jesus, send us an email (contact@gracefullytruthful.com) or connect with a friend who loves Jesus. Don’t wait another day!!

2)  Naaman’s skin disease was miraculously healed, but the greater healing was his prideful heart being dramatically humbled before God. It’s easy for us, as human beings, to only focus on the physical instead of the spiritual. We pray for bodies to be healed. We pray for hurts to be made whole. We pray for financial pitfalls to be reversed. We pray for many physical or relational things, and while we are invited by the Lord to pray about all things, the Lord is most interested in our spiritual condition. How He loves to use the physical realm to point us toward the spiritual one! As we come to the Lord this weekend, let’s ask Him to heal our hearts, to root out our sin, to teach us to worship Him in fullness, and for our minds to be renewed by His gentle, Shepherd hand! Expect Him to heal!

3) Disappointment. Loss. Grief. We’ve all walked these roads and felt the depth of emotion associated with these struggles. For Tamar, her disappointment seeped through her entire life. One by one, those who were supposed to protect her and stand up for her, not only let her down, but put her down. They demoralized her. They cheated her. They used her. They abused her. They mocked her. Yet, the Lord heard her, He saw her, and He moved on her behalf to bring about His wonderous glory! While few of us have experienced the severity of circumstance like Tamar, we each walk our own difficulties. Sister, if the Lord used the extreme brokenness of Tamar, grafting her story into the very lineage of Jesus Christ, who extended radical grace to all peoples through His sacrifice on the cross, how greatly will He work in your brokenness?! Sit for a few minutes in total quiet (or as much quiet as you can manage to ascertain!), hold open your hands, and speak to the Lord as you surrender your broken places and sharp, cutting edges. Ask for redemption and wait as He moves!

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Isaiah 63:7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

I will make known the Lord’s faithful love
and the Lord’s praiseworthy acts,
because of all the Lord has done for us—
even the many good things
he has done for the house of Israel,
which he did for them based on his compassion
and the abundance of his faithful love.

Prayer Journal
Lord God, You have done unfathomable things! My tongue can testify endlessly of Your mighty power and I will never tire of sharing the incredible things You have done in my life, Lord! “You have made me rejoice, Lord, by what You have done! I will shout for joy because of the works of Your hand! How magnificent are Your works, Lord! How profound Your thoughts!” (Psalm 92:4-5) Lord, give me more opportunities to share what You have personally done in my life, for none can argue with my personal experience with You. Take my story of redemption and bring others near to Your heart through it! Give me courage, Abba. Courage to share, wisdom to follow Your leading, and tenderness toward those hearts who are utterly lost and condemned without hope in You. Stir my heart to tell of Your healing in my life!

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched VIII Week 1

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) When justice seems to have vanished. When anger, hurt, betrayal, and an overwhelming sense of being utterly alone sweep over you. When you are there, you can relate to Hagar. Her story is one of the greatest outcast narratives in the Bible, and the glorious encounter she experienced with the Lord Himself is all the more beautiful because of her place of defeat. He met her in the desert places of her heart with an oasis of love, tender care, and deep knowing that embraced her brokenness and hurt in a way no one else could. Where do you recognize parts of your story intersecting with Hagar’s? What part of the Lord’s encounter with her do you long for in your own life? Take this to God in prayer, share it with a trusted, believing friend, and trust the Lord sees and knows you and your scenario as deeply as He did for Hagar!

2) What Zacchaeus lacked in stature and integrity, he compensated for in passionate pursuit. He was hungry, and He knew it. He had heard of Jesus and He wanted more. Life wasn’t fulfilling despite his best attempts to satisfy his palate for wealth and prosperity. Jesus, however, already knew Zach’s story. He already knew every detail, every sin, and every lonely place in Zacchaeus’ heart. He was wooing Zacchaeus’ heart long before Zacchaeus climbed that Sycamore tree to catch a glimpse of the Lord. It’s easy for us to think we are the ones who need to chase Jesus, capture His attention, and be close to Him. But this isn’t the heart of God revealed in Scripture. He is already near to each of us. Perhaps you’ve been running and you’re feeling wearied by the chase. Take to heart that Christ Jesus already knows your story and loves you!

3) Yesterday, Carol led us beautifully into one woman’s story of responding to Jesus’ majesty, kindness, and gentle love. Being near Him carried a cost for this woman as she was outcast of all outcasts. Simply being present near Him carried the risk of being shoved aside and trampled. This woman went farther still though, she dared to touch His skin and wipe His feet with a love she had first felt extended to her through His divine grace. There at the feet of Jesus, the woman gave her gift that had cost her everything, yet she left full, whole, and satisfied for an eternity to come. Emptying everything had resulted in all-surpassing fullness. Forgiven. Shameless. Whole. Don’t let the idea of surrendering to the God who loves you completely keep you from experiencing the abundance He offers to all who come to Him.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Luke 19:8-10 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

But Zacchaeus stood there and said to the Lord, “Look, I’ll give half of my possessions to the poor, Lord. And if I have extorted anything from anyone, I’ll pay back four times as much.” “Today salvation has come to this house,” Jesus told him, “because he too is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost.”

Prayer Journal
True repentance always brings about life change. Father, the more I follow You, the more I see how there are highs and lows in the genuine following of my everyday life. Sometimes, I feel so close to You, while there are entire seasons where I wonder if You have forgotten me. Lord, teach me in all seasons to hold unswervingly to the truth that You are always fully present, always taking me deeper with You, and always making me new. Teach my heart to dwell in a state of humble repentance towards Your Spirit, so I am ready to keep following You.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Ten Week 3

Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) It’s a lie the enemy has used from the beginning of time, “you don’t have enough.” It was good enough to lure Eve away from a rich, perfect relationship with her husband (wow! Can you even imagine?!) and the Lord God (mind blown!). Nothing would surely be worth that trade, yet she did it in a moment. What if God is holding out on me? What if there’s something He isn’t giving me? What if He is actually stingy? Second guessing the nature of God and the relationship she enjoyed with Him, ended up destroying well, everything. How easily we do the same! This hunger for more seeps into our marriages, our friendships, and of course, our relationship with God. Always, the result is death and destruction. Jealousy and comparison flow easily from the lie that what we have is “not enough”. We think God says, “don’t steal”, so we relegate that to taking a physical item that doesn’t belong to us, but the heart behind it is so much more! Spend some time speaking with the Lord about where you might be stealing, and where your heart is incurably hungry for what you do not have.

2) I recently sat with one of my kids as we walked through a circumstance where their lies had caused damage they didn’t foresee to someone else. As we talked it out, the one who lied kept insisting they didn’t see how they had actually lied. It was such a small stretching of truth. The lie was “almost” true. But that “almost” had seriously hurt someone else and their reputation. Without a clear line of distinction on what is truth, any variation of reality can be manipulated on a whim. We must have truth in our lives, anchoring even the small decisions we make. I often tell my kids, “sin always hurts someone.” Even if it’s your own heart and relationship with God, sin always hurts someone. We cannot expect to play with lies and manipulate truth to our own advantage and walk away unscathed. That is a lie itself! Journal about a recent time when someone’s deception hurt you, then write about a time your deception hurt someone else. Ask the Lord to give you a soft, repentant heart and keen awareness of truth, so you can walk far away from lies!

3) Yesterday, Merry challenged all of us (or maybe it was just me!) to reconsider how we have viewed the last commandment, do not covet. It’s easy to get bogged down in “don’t covet your neighbor’s manservant or maidservant”. Okay, got it, God. Check! Not so fast. Merry invited us to peel back the layers, and squirm. According to this command, we are called to, daily, hold up before the Lord our wants and desires at any point of our everyday, and ask ourselves, “Why am I chasing this?”.  Are our motives focused on gratifying ourselves? Jesus summed up all of God’s laws by commanding us to love God and love one another. Why? Because if I first loved my friend, I wouldn’t be earnestly wishing for her wardrobe, her job position, or her anything. Instead, I would be celebrating her because I loved her. Use this gauge of love and think through those things you have been deeply desiring or earnestly wishing for. Where can you ask the Lord to renew your heart of love?

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Hebrews 13:5-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Be satisfied with what you have, for He Himself has said, “I will never leave you or abandon you.” Therefore, we may boldly say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?”

Prayer Journal
If You alone are my fullness. If You alone are the complete satisfier of all my needs, my hungry longings, and my aching empty places. Then I have no need to look farther than the richness of knowing You more deeply and more fully than I have just a moment ago. You are endless and hold more than enough mystery and unconditional love towards me to captivate me for an eternity. Hold me fast, Lord God, here with You. If you are for me, I need no other. If you are with me, I have no need to fear. For, bound up in Your perfect demonstration of on-going, never-ending love surrounding me on all sides, is perfect peace with no room for fear. Your perfect love casts out all fear. (1 John 4:18) Speak these truths over me again and again, Lord Jesus. Remind me to declare over my heart, my emotions, my circumstances, and my relationships, “Jesus is enough!”.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music