GT Weekend Archives - Gracefully Truthful

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship XI Week 3

June 17, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship XI Week 3

Katelyn Palmer

June 17, 2023

Adoring,Affectionate,Captivating,GT Weekend,Hope

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 119:149-154

In keeping with Your faithful love, hear my voice. Lord, give me life in keeping with Your justice. Those who pursue evil plans come near; they are far from your instruction. You are near, Lord, and all your commands are true. Long ago I learned from Your decrees that You have established them forever.

Resh
Consider my affliction and rescue me, for I have not forgotten Your instruction. Champion my cause and redeem me; give me life as You promised

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, You are the greatest teacher. (Psalm 32:8) You are wise (Proverbs 3:19); You are loving (1 John 4:8), You are honorable (Revelation 4:11); You are just (Psalm 89:14). Yahweh, You taught me to learn from other godly people, as well; to leverage their tough seasons of life in order to avoid similar mistakes and to understand that I am not alone in my struggle. Hear our voices as we cry out to You, Lord, for help and in praise!

My strength is so weak, unbelievably weak, and yet I still try to do it on my own.
Forgive me.

God, I need You desperately. I want You to use me, grow me, keep me humble.
Please help me obey.

I don’t deserve the blessed life I live; I am overwhelmed with gratitude!
You are so kind.

Lead me in Your ways today, Lord. Keep me from wandering away distracted from the path You have laid. (Psalm 16:11) May I follow You more closely (Matthew 16:24), love You more dearly (Matthew 22:37), obey You more willingly (John 14:15), and trust You more fully.

Lord, I am filled with thanks as I consider the blessings and lessons You have bestowed upon me. I am overwhelmed by your relentless pursuit of me.
In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Psalm 139 tells us God knows our thoughts from afar and our words before we utter them. While this may feel intimidating or even shameful, because we know our thoughts are not always pure, it provides a fuller picture of God’s vast love for us.

There is none who knows us like He does, still He sacrificed His Son on the cross to redeem us. (Isaiah 43:1) I cannot imagine a love greater than this. God is with us in every moment of this life; we have only to turn to Him. The image of turning away from a neighbor offering kindness, slamming the door in her face, is heartbreaking.

How much more so, then, when we realize that neighbor has God’s face? Yet He does not leave. (Isaiah 43:2) In fact, He invites us over and over again to give Him our pain, our questions, our doubts, our fears, our frustrations in return for His peace, love, grace, mercy, confidence, and strength.

He whispers love into our dark places, because shouting is for fools. His magnificence speaks for itself. (Isaiah 40:26) The devil shouts, he puts on a show, because he has no real power. Thus, his greatest influence is in distraction. How is the prince of darkness distracting you from God’s truth, today?

JOURNAL TWO

This week, our study on Qof and Resh, verses 145-160, hit me like a ton of bricks in the most wonderful way. Sara brought me to tears with her transparency and vulnerability, a very scary thing to do indeed. Oh, but how I could relate to her story in so many ways! This is the beauty of our testimonies!

We are oftentimes more alike than we are different, but when we use filters and choreographed poses and select only the most pristine pictures to share with the world, we abandon those opportunities to connect with others, cultivating our own loneliness.

In addition to a beautiful example of vulnerability, we were shown the power of divine perspective and the power of hope, both of which are anchored in God’s Word. In using a divine lens to assess our lives and analyze the situations in which we find ourselves, we are better able to see God’s purpose in allowing a particular trial.

He could be teaching, protecting, exercising judgment, refining, preparing, and more. Sometimes literally clutching His Word to our chest, figuratively tucking it into our hearts is all we have strength to do, but through His Word, the Spirit comforts our very souls. He is mighty in our weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

JOURNAL THREE

To understand the treasure that is God’s Word (Psalm 119:162), we must choose daily to seek Him, to study Scripture, and let the Holy Spirit soften our hearts. In Psalm 119:164, the psalmist says, and not for the first time, that they praise God many times a day (7 to be exact!).

The beautiful thing about regular, authentic worship is that it not only brings glory to God, but it changes our perspective. There are days when praising God even once seems like a hardship, but what we must realize is that in the act of praising, the act of worshiping, we find healing, peace, and joy. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Just as God doesn’t need our prayers in order to know our need (Matthew 6:8), He also doesn’t need our praise to know He is the great I AM. Yet again, His instruction is for our good and His glory.

Furthermore, when we intertwine our cries for help with gratitude for God’s character, we align our hearts with His, allowing us to recognize that God is good even if our circumstances aren’t and reinforcing our faith and confidence in His promise of deliverance.

Our expectations are then founded in God’s character rather than our own desires and ideas of how a prayer should be answered.

Tags :

adoration,discipline,God,prayer,rejoice,relationship

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The GT Weekend! ~ Mission Week 3

May 27, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Mission Week 3

Katelyn Palmer

May 27, 2023

Busy,Faith,Future,GT Weekend,Obedience,Worship

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Pray His Words Back To Him!

2 Peter 1:5-8, 10

“For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with goodness, goodness with knowledge, knowledge with self-control, self-control with endurance, endurance with godliness, godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ…Therefore, brothers and sisters, make every effort to confirm your calling and election, because if you do these things you will never stumble.”

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, every week You pour into my heart with these studies and this community of women seeking Your beautiful face. Thank you, Father, for the lessons on the enemy’s distraction tactics, for the reminder of the treasures found in Your heavenly call in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:14), and the prize of eternal life in Your magnificent presence (Jude 1:21).

I ask You now, God, to empower me to put the wisdom You’ve given me through Your Word and by Your Spirit into action! (2 Peter 1:7-8) I ask for Your help in honest reflection and refocusing my life on Your calling, Lord, when the enemy seeks to distract and disrupt. He is no match for You, Jehovah Rohi, my Shepherd, who leads me through the darkest valleys unto quiet waters and green pastures. (Psalm 23)

For who can offer greater comfort and to whom would I turn when You, alone, hold the words of eternal life? (John 6:68) You have my gratitude, Yahweh, simply for Your mercy, grace, and love, all of which I do not deserve and cannot earn.
In Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Idolatry, busyness, and suffering are three universal distractions we all must battle against at some point.

Idolatry is the exaltation of something above God. It comes in all forms like the pull of relationships or binging the latest season of our favorite show; idolatry steals our worship.

Busyness appears when chores, careers, or overbooked social calendars take precedence over Christ, effectively killing our passionate love for Him.

Suffering, well, that’s an unavoidable piece of living in a sinful world! Either we allow suffering to destroy our relationship with God by blaming Him and growing bitter, or we surrender our suffering, allowing God to use it to deepen our understanding of Himself..

Sometimes, like in the case of Mary and Martha (Luke 10:38-42), it seems our hearts hold the right posture, but our actions prove otherwise as we place God second. The enemy is cunning and patient in his game of distraction. Thus, it becomes crucial we allow ourselves time to pause, reflect, and refocus regularly in our everyday life on Truth.

When we pause, we must practice stillness in God’s presence. When we reflect, we must do so with full honesty. When we refocus, we must fix our gazes straight ahead (Proverbs 4:25-27), forgetting our old patterns and reaching forward to what is ahead in Christ (Philippians 3:12-14).

JOURNAL TWO

The Treasure Of Mission, as we learned this week, is two-fold. 1) Joy found in loving others as God loves us. 2) Fruit of our labor of love as the Lord brings others to Jesus as we build His kingdom through the Spirit’s power.

In His “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:18-20), Jesus commands us to lead others, teach others, and bring the knowledge of salvation to others. Not once does He tell us to seek fame and fortune, acceptance, or earthly rewards.

Ladies, the enemy has fostered a culture in which we are encouraged to place ourselves at the center of our universe; what a lonely life that makes! Jesus, however, came in the form of a servant, humble and obedient unto death on the cross. (Philippians 2:5-11)

Naturally, then, His commission for us will be to adopt the same attitude of humility and a life of serving others. Notice, also, that His commission requires action. We often talk about God’s Word without acknowledging His Word is active.

Jesus’ disciple, Peter, offers a great reminder that our knowledge and wisdom in Christ is meant to bring forth fruit! (2 Peter 1:7-8) We are expected to use the wisdom God provides to build and strengthen His kingdom by His power for His glory!

JOURNAL THREE

On Jesus’ last day before returning to heaven, He gave His disciples one last set of instructions: make disciples, baptize, and teach. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Upon Jesus’ coming return when He will make all things new and washes away this broken world, our mission of making disciples, baptizing, and teaching will be complete. (Revelation 21:1-5) We don’t know when that will be, but we do know Jesus will come to repay us for the labor we do in His name. (Revelation 22:12)

As we wait, we must prepare ourselves by submitting to God’s will in our lives, humbling ourselves before Him as Jesus did even unto death on the cross (Philippians 2:5-11), and remain “steadfast, immovable, excelling in the Lord’s work” (1 Corinthians 15:58). At the time of Jesus’ return, let us be among those who claim the truth of Revelation 19:7-8, “…the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She was given fine linen to wear, bright and pure.”

Let us be counted as God’s people, dwelling with Him in the new Jerusalem, experiencing life without death, pain, or suffering! (Revelation 21:1-5) May we enjoy the abundance of our long-awaited inheritance (Revelation 21:6-7) and enter the holy city by the gates (Revelation 22:14).

Tags :

busyness,idolatry,life,mission,purpose,worship

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The GT Weekend! ~ Steadfast Week 3

April 14, 2023 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Steadfast Week 3

Katelyn Palmer

April 14, 2023

Christ,Faith,Future,Glory,Grace,GT Weekend

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Pray His Words Back To Him!

1 Peter 5:8-10

Be sober-minded, be alert. Your adversary the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion, looking for anyone he can devour. Resist him, firm in the faith, knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world. The God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ, will Himself restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little while.

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, I come to You today boldly asking for strength, grace, and wisdom. I seek Your insight and Your counsel. (Psalm 16:7-8)

I pray for wisdom in discerning Satan’s easy lies from Your loving Truth. I praise You for grace in the moments I fall into Satan’s traps. I pray for discipline of my tongue (James 1:19), mental strength so I may stay focused on doing good (Romans 12:21), and a bolstering of my faith so it may remain steadfast in Your love (Ephesians 2:8 and 6:16; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 13:7,13).

Let my hope abound and be a light to others around me in need of lifting up. Use me as Your instrument, Lord, in all the ways You have determined. I thank You for Your gift of eternal life and Your promises of grace, mercy, and salvation. I ask only for what You have determined I need and nothing more, nor nothing less. (Proverbs 30:8)

I am your servant, Lord, and I seek to do Your will. It is in Your Son’s name I pray these things, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Monday’s Journey Study reminds me of the Hebrews enslaved in Egypt. They, too, were waiting for something great to be revealed. They, too, were called to remain steadfast in their faith and trust God would deliver them.

During four hundred years of slavery, the nation of Israel learned to trust the God who was growing them in number and in steadfast faith despite their enslavement. Their suffering provided the opportunity to declare the goodness of the God of the Hebrews and invite foreigners to trust Him too. Their faith was on display to the Egyptians, giving them an opportunity to testify of this God who was victorious over all things.

John 14:3 tells us Christ has gone ahead to prepare a place for us to dwell with Him. Until then, despite our suffering, we are to remain steadfast in our faith, assured of His deliverance just as He rescued the Hebrews. Being steadfast requires a sense of duty as ambassadors for God, testifying of His redemption in our lives. This extends the Hope of Christ to those around us that they also may enjoy Him (2 Corinthians 5:19-21).

How might God be preparing you to testify of Him in the midst of your suffering? How are you living out your faith in everyday life to invite others to know the God you worship?

JOURNAL TWO

We may hear a well-meaning life mantra like “seize the day” or “live like you’re dying”. This week, we were challenged to consider how to live as though Christ is coming back today.

We must embrace the hope of His return, the gift of eternal life, and the promise of seeing loved ones who have passed before us once again, then allow these truths to shape our lives. Would God be pleased with the life you are leading if He indeed graced your doorstep today? In all honesty, I can’t say He’d be pleased with mine.

It can be difficult to step out of the gravitational pull of society and the lustful appeal of our fleshly desires. As believers in Jesus, we were planted to flourish inside the death and resurrection of Christ (Romans 6:4). His life frees us from the bondage of sin and releases us to be joined in unity to He who reigns with love and truth. (Romans 7:4)

We are now called to bear the fruit of His name and must remember this includes testifying of His goodness to the lost souls next door, across the street, and in the next room. How will you surrender your life to God today?

JOURNAL THREE

Made Steadfast was our final Journey Study this week, but what does it really mean to be steadfast? If we allow our Bibles to define steadfast, which is a solid scholarly approach to allow Scripture to define Scripture, we are given a visual representation in Hebrews 6:19 for steadfast, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure”. (depending on the translation of your Bible, “firm and secure” reads “steadfast”)

An anchor is strong, unyielding and unmoving. It keeps a ship in place just as our hope in God is meant to keep us steady and unyielding against the waves of life that crash against us. We also see steadfast used to describe God Himself in Daniel 6:26 where He is painted in strength as a lasting presence.

With the Steadfast God as our ever-present anchor in our lives offering strength in our weakest moments, Satan is outmatched. Take this truth and carry it with you this weekend!

Tags :

eternity,future,hope,resurrection,steadfast

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The GT Weekend! ~ Steadfast Week 2

April 8, 2023 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Steadfast Week 2

Rebecca Adams

April 8, 2023

Forgiven,Freedom,Gospel,GT Weekend,Redemption,Resurrection

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Pray His Words Back To Him!

1 Corinthians 15:47-49

47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 Like the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; like the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Do I dare call out to You with the intimate familiarity of Abba Father? With a breath of Your Holy Eternal Spirit, you revived the very dead Son of God. I cannot stand before such magnificence!

Yet, You gave Your life so I need not stand far off. You came near so I could be near to You. You bled and died, raising back to life with all authority, for one incredible, joyous reward, that all who trust You would call you Abba and know you personally as Father.

Remind me this Easter weekend to see both the omnipotence of the godhead and the familiarity You offer me in every day life. How I praise You for the forgiveness You paid for at the cross, and proved it three days later by rising again and sealing my victorious eternal resurrection!

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Human tactics will never win against divine powers, neither will human weaponry vanquish spiritual foes. The Pharisees, angry Jews, and fearful Romans saw Jesus as a threat to their control. They were not wrong, for indeed, Christ’s rule and reign did threaten their control, though not in the way they supposed.

So He does for each of us. Either we will shrivel back at such a thought of surrendering control to this same Christ who was executed and rose again, or we will feverishly fool ourselves into believing we are somehow better off ensnared by lust and love of self than freely forgiven.

The Pharisees and ruling authorities of Jesus’ day believed they had won when Jesus breathed His last, but in the spiritual realm, the eternal Spirit of God revived God the Son and defeated Death once and for all. (Hebrews 9:14)

Do you know the source of your hope? Do you have words to tell someone else? Practice speaking out loud the reason for your hope this weekend!

JOURNAL TWO

We are finicky and selfish people, or I’ll speak for myself, and say it loudly that I am! Loving to stay safe, have my days and schedule, work environment and relationships to follow a set rule (of my design, of course), and not really stray far from it. I like things my way, even now after following Jesus for thirty-seven years, I still gleefully enjoy my own way.

Parting with my way causes pain, or as Jesus lived (and died) to prove, parting with our preferred way results in death. This sounds harsh and altogether unappealing, but this is precisely what Jesus did as He wrestled in Gethsemane hours before giving His life as a ransom for many, one of whom was me, the one who loves myself.

Jesus pleaded for another way to save humanity, but He surrendered His way and it resulted in His death. For all who would come to Jesus and be freed from the heavy burden of sin, it also requires our death, a death to self and relinquishment to the Savior.

Blessedly, the Lord reminds us (and proved it) that every surrender done for Him is absolutely worth it! What will you give over to Him?

JOURNAL THREE

Children don’t seem to like boundaries, much preferring to keep all the toys, all the food, and demand the bedtimes and rising times according to themselves.

Seemingly, as they move into the teenage years, they like boundaries even less, despite how good, healthy, and wise the boundary may be. Those who study human development understand, however, that boundaries actually demonstrate love and create safety for the one being taught to walk in wise ways.

What’s true in human nature is infinitely more true in our relationship with the Lord God. We can either view Him as a dictator God who never wants us to have fun (spoiled, arrogant teenager perspective), or we can recognize that when we truly know Him and walk in His ways, there is simply no better place to be.

How will you engage with the One who died to save you?

Tags :

Christ,death,hope,resurrection,victory

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Recent Journeys

Done Day 11 Reconciled Redemption

August 7, 2023

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Join Us On The Journey!

Want encouragement
on the daily?
Registration gives you free, every day access to encouragement, weekly worship prompts, and daily Bible study that applies to real life.

Journey On!

Can We Pray With You?

Prayer is central to our ministry as believers in Jesus as we carry eachother’s burdens and intercede for one another. Our team is honored to share the work of praying alongside you!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 3

February 11, 2023 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 3

Carol Graft

February 11, 2023

bride,Character,Community,GT Weekend,Suffering

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Acts 4:32-37

32 Now the entire group of those who believed were of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but instead they held everything in common. 33 With great power the apostles were giving testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was on all of them. 34 For there was not a needy person among them because all those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the proceeds of what was sold, 35 and laid them at the apostles’ feet. This was then distributed to each person as any had need. 36 Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus by birth, the one the apostles called Barnabas (which is translated Son of Encouragement), 37 sold a field he owned, brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Lord, You are Holy above all we can ask or think. You are more than faithful to provide what we need, when we need it. Help me to hold fast to what is true about You and Your work despite my circumstances. Help me resist the urge to control and give way to frantic fear.

Equip me to live with one mind and one accord with fellow believers as we urge each other to trust You. Give us willing hearts to surrender in full. I pray that our everyday surrender will make us ready to live generously as Your Spirit leads us. Help us to trust you as Provider when we don’t immediately see the provision but we see the need. As we give and share with open hands, shape our hearts so we are actively living from a place of desiring to give You glory. Use our actions to draw others closer to You.
In Jesus name, Amen!

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Brenda’s Journey Study, together with Stacy’s Digging Deeper Study, beautifully remind us just what surrender looks like in real life.

Do you ever recognize yourself grasping at control, only to end up more frustrated and frantic? Comparing and contrasting true surrender with self-sufficiency helps us understand how one brings freedom and one births only anxiousness and struggle. Freedom and peace are available to each of us if we are willing to trust the Almighty God who loves us; the choice is ours.

Brenda’s examples from Scripture really highlight God’s faithful character to finish His good work in us, which provides us with strong encouragement! It’s not easy to be convicted of sin, but it is necessary to welcome the full life God desires for us. We must hold to the truths of God’s Word that He is indeed, and always will be, our Sustainer, Supplier, and Satisfier.

Full surrender to Christ won’t mean our lives will be strife-free, but it does mean we will be held in God’s hands and He will faithfully bring about His glory and our good!

JOURNAL TWO

Using the unlikely story of Hosea and Gomer, Amy paints a wonderful picture of what godly surrender in relationships look like. She first demonstrates how, not only is the biblical narrative a depiction of God and Israel, but it’s also a portrayal of God and us.

Humans are sinful creatures by nature and it’s easy for us to neglect keeping God foremost in our hearts, minds, and lives. Then Amy flips things and shows us that, like Hosea, we each long for pure relationships. We were created for rich and meaningful, healthy connections, but also like Hosea, we tend to go about things our own way.

We need to learn to surrender and trust God for our desires, not just in romance and marriage, but in friendships and co-worker partnerships as well.

Let’s choose together to surrender our ideals to God and trust He will give us better than we could possibly do on our own.

JOURNAL THREE

In yesterday’s Journey Study, Mandy transparently shared how her struggle with chronic illness, after decades of health, has reminded her to surrender in full to Jesus.

The call to surrender sounds painful and challenging as she shared her story! Have you walked similar pathways? When our life seems to be headed in a fine direction and our plans are made only to be sidelined by significant challenges, whether chronic illness or something else, our perspective changes.

Often, the temptation is to become embittered at God or angry at others, casting blame and wrapped ever tighter in pain. Thankfully, when we surrender to the Lord Jesus, as Mandy exemplified, there is still blessing and Kingdom work to accomplish.

Even if we don’t understand all of God’s reasons or have satisfactory answers to our “why” questions, we can be confident that in surrender of our hearts and lives, God will be faithful to work in and through us to accomplish His good and eternal work!

Tags :

pain,peace,relationships,surrender,unity

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Recent Journeys

Done Day 11 Reconciled Redemption

August 7, 2023

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July 29, 2023

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Join Us On The Journey!

Want encouragement
on the daily?
Registration gives you free, every day access to encouragement, weekly worship prompts, and daily Bible study that applies to real life.

Journey On!

Can We Pray With You?

Prayer is central to our ministry as believers in Jesus as we carry eachother’s burdens and intercede for one another. Our team is honored to share the work of praying alongside you!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 2

February 4, 2023 by Rebecca Adams Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 2

Rebecca Adams

February 4, 2023

Discipline,Equipped,Faithfulness,Fellowship,Giving,GT Weekend

Rest your soul through reflective journaling,
praying Scripture,
and worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

This Week's Journeys

Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 16:7-8, 11

I will bless the Lord who counsels me— even at night when my thoughts trouble me. 8 I always let the Lord guide me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (…) 11 You reveal the path of life to me; in Your presence is abundant joy; at Your right hand are eternal pleasures.

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

I bless You, Lord God, for counseling me and holding out wisdom to me, whether day or night. Your wisdom is constantly available to me, not even for a moment am I left abandoned without access to You and the wisdom of Your ways. Lord, teach me to surrender my ways to Yours. May I find Your ways to be sweeter, more abundant, and flooded with the richest of joys than anything else I could imagine.

Every day teach me to become more aware of the wickedness of my ways and create an ever-increasing hunger to long for Your paths of righteousness. I long to honor You with my days, my nights, my words, motivations, and actions. I pray, Lord Jesus, that the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart would be pleasing to You. (Psalm 19:14) May I cast out all other idols and seek to love you first and most and best for all my days, Lord Jesus Christ.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

“What if God sends me to Africa?” “What if God tells me to sell my car for a cheaper one?” “What if God wants me to give up my extra spending?”

If you haven’t asked these specific questions, you’ve likely wondered something similar. We understand that calling Christ “LORD” of our lives involves total surrender. Surrender is painful.

I’ve wrestled with these questions many times in my own faith walk, and I can confidently attest it is significantly more painful to resist the Lord than to lay ourselves down at the feet of His eternal goodness and grace. When we consider the cost of surrender, we easily forget the Lord to whom we surrender is gentle, tender, kind-hearted, and good. Christ does not call us to surrender our things, our time, and the treasures we love because He is greedy, rather, His call is motivated by His vast love.

He knows that until we tear down the idols we cherish, we cannot fully embrace Him who is infinitely greater than all other “lesser loves”. What is that “thing” the Lord keeps whispering to you to surrender? Choose today to give it over to His hands of Love!

JOURNAL TWO

On Wednesday, Deborah wrote, “The perverse dark world, blinded by its sin, shrieks at the light and beauty of Jesus.” Consider those you know who aren’t Christ-followers; how have you seen this truth played out? Where do they pull back harshly from the thought of Christ’s light exposing them?

Even harder, where do you feel your own soul run shrieking, begging to stay hidden in the dark so you don’t need to be conformed, often painfully, to the image of Jesus?

Sisters, I plead with you and with my own soul, these are the places we must bring to the Lord Jesus. The more we pull them back, the more painful it will be when the Lord has His way with us. His love for us is too vast to permit us to remain chained to our filthy patterns of self-love, self-protection, and sin.

Have you considered how rejecting full surrender to Christ is really a rejection of perfect love played out in your life? Spend time this weekend thinking about why you would rather choose to hide in the dark than bring your everything into the light of Christ, then talk with Him about it!

JOURNAL THREE

I have friends, and even more grievous to me, precious family members, who look at my consistent decisions to sacrifice worldly pleasures and they are repulsed. “Why don’t you like that tv show?” “Why don’t you enjoy this music?” “You don’t have a life-goal of a bigger house?”

Sara and Rachel’s words yesterday remind me of 1 Peter 4:4, “They are surprised that you don’t join them in the same flood of wild living—and they slander you.” When we choose Christ and choose to regularly surrender to His work in our lives, He changes our appetite toward worldly things; we begin to crave the holy instead of that which dishonors the Lord Jesus.

Take a few minutes and consider what has changed about your “appetite” in the last 12-18 months. How has Christ shaped your “hunger” to long for Him, His word, and His ways more than your own? Celebrate what He has done in you and ask Him to keep making you new! Then spend time praying for your friends and family who haven’t yet experienced the sweetness of Christ as their Lord. Ask Him to begin to change their heart-appetite toward the things of God that will last for eternity.

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generous,greed,idol,pride,self-love,surrender

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The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 1

January 28, 2023 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Surrender Week 1

Carol Graft

January 28, 2023

Anchored,Courage,Faith,Freedom,GT Weekend

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Pray His Words Back To Him!

Romans 8:29-30

For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. 30 And those He predestined, He also called; and those He called, He also justified; and those He justified, He also glorified.

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Prayer Journal Entry

Thank you, Lord, for knowing me long before I knew You. Thank you for loving me even when I don’t see how any part of my situation, whether in the past or present, could possibly fit within Your plan. I don’t understand why I walk through hard challenges when You could remove them. It would be so easy for You to make my life smoother, Lord. From my perspective, the questions, hurts, and doubt could all be erased by an “easier life”.

So, I am faced with a question to either trust You as fully good, despite my pain and limited view, or choose to believe You’ve lied to me in Your Word. Help me to hold fast to what is true. I confess my unbelief; Lord, build my faith! Help me trust the depth of Your goodness extends far beyond my finite vision of my current reality. No matter what I am going through, You are working out Your good plan for me. Help me to see you in the midst of my every day, whether they are good days or bad. Teach my heart to trust you with steadfast surrender. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Astounding healings, provision, and deliverance from bondage are just a few of the miracles that leap from the pages of the Bible. It’s easy to focus on those incidents and say, “Yes, please!”, for we all want big miracles.

When we come to the end of our budget and the pantry seems bare, we hunger for the miracle of the loaves and fish to effortlessly replenish our lack. If we wrestle with chronic illness, we read the amazing healing of the hemorrhaging woman and ask, “Why not me, Lord?”

But God didn’t come to dwell in the flesh only to provide temporary fixes for our woes. Though he can, and often does, His “Come and See” bidding is meant as a far greater invitation to an eternal relationship with Him. The invitation can only be embraced through willing surrender.

We may not be called to leave behind jobs or families to follow Jesus, but it’s possible. When we come to Jesus open-hearted, fully surrendered, and repentant our lives will be changed. Christ will provide, often in ways we never considered. Through surrender, we find we are fully known and fully loved by the Savior of the world.

JOURNAL TWO

I was challenged and convicted by “Pride Or Intimacy” on Wednesday; if you haven’t read it, go there! Mary K. explained how easy it is to return to old sin patterns after becoming a believer. How many times have we wanted to snap back a sharp retort, painfully revealing we are choosing not to surrender to Christ. We all have places in our hearts we haven’t fully surrendered to Jesus.

Consider how often we’ve bypassed the ‘neighbor’ standing on the street corner holding a sign and lacked the compassion of our Lord. Are we engaging our literal neighbors? Or perhaps we’re excluding the neighbors we perceive as different from us.

As I was thinking of surrendering pride, I was reminded of the Journey Study, “Dining With Sinners”, which stories about the scandalous woman who dared anoint Jesus’ feet despite her outrageous sin. Still, she surrendered her pride and walked into Simon’s dinner party uninvited. She wasn’t just surrendering her pride, she was surrendering her history at the feet of Jesus, who lived in total surrender to Father God.

Christ surrendered Himself to a death-penalty we owed in order to extend us eternal life with Him.

JOURNAL THREE

Are you a type A personality? Do others gravitate towards you or shun you because you like to be in control? Even if you don’t fit these descriptions exactly, deep down, we all desire to be in control. Some more publicly than others. I don’t consider myself a controlling person…until…I am.

Still, God lovingly pursues us, calling us to live under his call of Surrender. Rebekah pointed to the Old Testament biographies of Abraham and Sarah, both of whom were called to complete surrender of their control. Surrendering our willful control to God, trusting Him in all the things is not easy, but it is essential. We can rest on the truth revealed in Romans 8:29-30 as we grow in our discipline of surrender.

God predestined us to be a part of His plan. Whether we believe Him now or are still searching for Him, we are known and loved. Though we may often be tempted to wrestle control from the Lord, stomping our feet in frustration, the Lord still pursues our hearts, wooing us to know Him as He knows us. He who knew you, and the paths you would take before you were born, knows what He is doing. He will be faithful to accomplish His good work in us!

Tags :

conform,control,courage,faith,spirit,surrender

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The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched X Week 2

July 23, 2022 by Carol Graft Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Sketched X Week 2

Carol Graft

July 23, 2022

Character,Discipline,Enemies,Faith,Faithfulness,Grace,GT Weekend

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Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 105:10-12

When they were few in number, very few indeed, and resident aliens in Canaan wandering from nation to nation and from one kingdom to another, he allowed no one to oppress them; he rebuked kings on their behalf: “Do not touch my anointed ones, or harm my prophets.

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Prayer Journal Entry

Lord, Your word shows us that throughout history, it didn’t matter whether Your people were large or small in number, Your love and protection held fast. We know too, that we don’t need to be one of Your prophets, have an extra special anointing, or a particular platform to earn Your attention; You lovingly pursue each of us.

We are surrounded by armies we can’t see and are protected from our enemies by Your hand of love. You still hold us despite our erring ways. You still walk beside and before us even in hard times, desiring to show us more of Your heart and love for us in our everyday lives. We know that without You in our lives our situations would be impossible.

Because You are present with us and call us Your own children, You have equipped us by Your Spirit to extend your love and faithfulness to others. Make us effective in this work of reflecting Your love to others! We praise You for being kind and good at all times!

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE

Giving us a bit of Joseph’s story from Genesis, Sarah pointed out how his story shares similarities with Moses’ life. Neither of these men felt ready to speak on the behalf of others, but God equipped them fulfill His plans in His way.

I completely relate to feeling unequipped. As I write, I’m preparing for a conference where my words will be critiqued as part of a focus group. Impostor syndrome and fear rises up strong inside and I need truth to anchor me and the Spirit to equip me. I am comforted in knowing that long before I began penning these very words, God knew I would need the reminder of His constant presence through the narratives of Moses and Pharaoh. How wonderful to be so fully known by the God of the Universe!

While Joseph may have felt he had no voice and was incapable and forgotten, He was given protection and favor from the Lord. Where have you seen the Lord give you favor and protection even if it didn’t come in the same way you expected? Even in the midst of struggle, Joseph grew in his awareness of being given Divine gifts to be used for God’s glory.

What a great reminder! Even when we don’t see God working in our lives, we can choose to trust His work!

What specific struggle are you facing that you need to lean into the truths God is specifically providing for you? How do you feel knowing He is providing for you with loving intentionality?

JOURNAL TWO

Pharaoh didn’t know the Lord God, but still, Yahweh gave him a dream in order to lead Pharaoh to know Him.

Through someone outside the people God had chosen for Himself, God continued to build His plan of redemption. God’s invitation for wholeness and forgiveness is for all people. Everyone who is currently a believer in Jesus was, at one point, rebelling against the Lord. Every believer in Jesus who currently walks in deep faith with the Lord was, at one point, wading in the shallow waters of unbelief and wrestling with doubt.

We each have a faith journey and the Lord is intent on pursuing every heart that we might turn to Him and experience the blessing of redemption and the abundance of life He offers. We only see a small portion of Pharaoh’s faith journey and we don’t know if he ever surrendered himself to Yahweh, but we do know the Lord used him and invited him to know Him more deeply.

Where have you seen the Lord do the same in your life? Who has He used to get your attention? What has been your response? What would it look like for you to grow in trusting Him and His design for your life?

JOURNAL THREE

Rebekah provided us with another snapshot of Joseph’s life in yesterday’s Journey Study. Because of the Lord’s goodness, years of slavery and imprisonment eventually gave way to Joseph holding the position of Pharaoh’s right-hand man. Pharaoh trusted Joseph implicitly with nearly everything in his kingdom.

Even when it came to interpreting Pharaoh’s own dreams, he trusted Joseph and his faith in the One True God. While Pharaoh may not have ultimately worshipped Jehovah, Pharaoh knew Joseph’s faith to be genuine and he trusted his relationship with God and he proved it by believing Joseph’s interpretations. Through all the betrayal and harsh realities in his life Joseph kept his eyes on God, even if he wrestled with doubt along the way.

How often do we question God’s plans for our lives or even His active presence? When have you felt forgotten by God? Whether we are in a pit or a prison, whether our suffering is the result of another’s actions or our own, we still have the option to choose God’s steadfast character or reject Him.

Joseph’s long wait as slave and prisoner grew his faith and prepared him to save an entire nation through his reliance on the Lord. If we choose to surrender to the Lord, He will use our suffering to prepare, refine, and redeem us for His future work. Only God knows those plans and we must trust even when we can’t see Him.

Tags :

comfort,hope,joy,peace,Savior,suffering,trial

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The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 2

July 2, 2022 by Katelyn Palmer Leave a Comment

The GT Weekend! ~ Whole Week 2

Katelyn Palmer

July 2, 2022

Broken,Character,Christ,Community,GT Weekend,Hope,Humility,Jesus,Scripture,Truth,Unity

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Pray His Words Back To Him!

Psalm 103:1-6

“My soul, bless the LORD, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. My soul, bless the LORD, and do not forget all his benefits. He forgives all your iniquity; he heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; he crowns you with Faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with good things; your youth is renewed like the eagle.”

Read More Of His Words

Prayer Journal Entry

Yahweh, You have told us we are not of this world (John 15:19) and neither is Your Kingdom of this world (John 18:36), yet we are to remain here, shining as lights in the darkness until Your return. (Philippians 2:15)

Please keep my thoughts centered on Your Kingdom, Lord, especially when the darkness seems overwhelming. Use me to reflect Your light so others may be drawn to You and a little more darkness is squeezed out of the broken places. Guide my quiet time with You, still my mind and heart so I may hear Your whispers, God.

Yahweh, you are the Shepherd (Psalm 23), the Teacher (Psalm 25:5), and the Lord of Armies (Psalm 46:7). You quench the thirst of my soul like a glass of ice water in the desert (John 4:14). I ache to be close to You, to feel Your love and warmth in my soul. Equip me to reflect this love to Your creation and renew my strength to push forward each morning against the rulers of this world in Your power. (Ephesians 6:12)

I pray for opportunities in this coming week to lift up someone who is low in spirit and point them back to You, Father. I move as You command; in Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Song

Journal Prompts

JOURNAL ONE
As Christ-followers, we must hold to truth when it seems hatred is around every corner and division on every billboard. Scripture reminds that our fight is not temporal but spiritual. (Ephesians 6:12)

Of course, we battle our flesh daily, but a spiritual enemy uses our physical world to attack our spiritual livelihood. The enemy’s tactics have remained the same since time began: lying, deception, misinformation, distortion, and misinterpretations of God’s truth.

How do we fight against that? First, we educate ourselves on the enemy’s battle plans, like deception through social media or the division rising up around us. (1 Peter 5:8) We must study Scripture to understand and identify truth, praying for guidance and wisdom. We can stay informed on world events through multiple sources and strain our responses through the safeguard of Scripture. Second, we engage. We must start a dialogue with those inside and outside our circle with open minds and soft hearts about the brokenness of our world with a willingness to take action. Third, we seek community. God designed us to seek support from our brothers and sisters of all backgrounds. God did not promise us a life free of storms;
He promised to be present with us through them. (Isaiah 43:2)

JOURNAL TWO
It’s easy to acknowledge that we live in a damaged world and that humanity is flawed, but what happens when the finger is pointed at us?

The most effective way to attack oppression, hatred, and evil, is by looking inwardly first. Zechariah reminds us to have compassionate hearts for others (Zechariah 7:9-10), and Jesus taught us to love one another as ourselves. (Matthew 22:36-39) Isaiah calls for us to repent of our sin, be cleansed, and learn what it looks like to do right in order to stand against injustice. (Isaiah 1:17)

All of these Scriptures appeal to Christ’s Church, that’s us! Imagine if the whole of believers around the globe actively lived out these verses in our everyday relationships. What peace and pushing back of oppression would result! Conquering hate and bringing unity to our communities must start at home. We must also pray fervently for leadership in our churches and our world. (1Timothy 2:1-4) Where we have the privilege to elect government officials, do so by searching the Scriptures and using your vote to elect righteous leadership. Have conversations, not debates, about what righteous leadership looks like that protects people, lifts oppression, and promotes justice. (Jeremiah 22:2-3, Proverbs 31:4-5; 8-9, Matthew 20:26-28).

It is our duty as Christ-followers to lead and pray with zealous love as God has commanded us to in order to reflect His light in the darkest places.

JOURNAL THREE
Have you ever heard the saying “practice what you preach?” Better yet, have you ever met anyone who could do it? I can think of one person who practiced everything He preached, and the world was quite literally saved in the process. Jesus.

He experienced sorrow, oppression, discrimination, and hatred, as well as taught about it in the synagogues, in boats, in fields and in city centers. Jesus illustrated how to suffer silently with purpose (Mark 15:3-5), but also how to boldly call out sin. (Matthew 21:12-13) He showed us how to lift up the lowly (Luke 8:43-48) and stand firm against the enemy, both spiritual and worldly. (Matthew 4:1-11; Matthew 23:1-7) More than all of that, Jesus showed us how to bring our brokenness to God in humble submission. (Mark 14:33-36)

In His submission, Jesus was renewed in His mission for God’s glory, for it is in tribulation where we develop endurance; endurance produces proven character, which produces hope. (Romans 5:1-11)

I challenge each of us as we face adversity in the next minute or the next week to rejoice at the opportunity God has allowed to further shape us into the image of His Son that we might proclaim Him all the more! (Romans 8:29)

Tags :

Beautiful,character,Christ-followers,compassion,engage,heart,leadership,righteous,seek,whole

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