1) Rebecca shared that when she felt called to follow in obedience and begin the ministry of Gracefully Truthful, there was chaos around her in her marriage and family. Sometimes, we get caught in a cycle of waiting for our own predetermined mindset of “the right time” to follow Jesus into something new. We wait for finances to be more stable, or after we settle into a new school or neighborhood, or until our kids are older. Or maybe we use the excuse of having already committed time and service to the church as a reason to pull back and rest. Sift through the reasons you commonly give to the Lord, or your pastor, or others in need. Are these truly from the Lord’s direction or are these just plain excuses to keep you from following where the Lord is calling? Pray over them, seek wise counsel, and commit to trust the Lord’s wisdom over your own!

2) As the ladies of Gracefully Truthful’s Partner team shared pieces of their stories and reasons for joining this ministry to women, what thoughts stir in your own mind? Take time to write those down and reflect on what the Lord may be speaking to you as you walk in your own journey. Where is He calling you to give up comforts and take one more small step in following and obeying? Identify your personal road blocks to going deeper with the Lord. Are they circumstantial? Relational? Monetary? Should anything keep you from following? Pray over these things, knowing with confidence that the Lord is indeed calling you deeper into following Him! Even if that step of following is carving out consistent time to sit and study His Word every day. Every step of obedience takes you farther in your journey with the Lord! Keep moving!

3) Sometimes following Jesus feels like small steps taken almost imperceptibly over a long stretch of time, but during other moments in life, our steps of faithful following seem much bigger, requiring more faith and trust. When you read someone else’s story of a “big yes”, what fears pop up for you? Are you quick to discount that the Lord could ever take you “there”? Are you afraid of what it would mean if He did? Be honest in these wrestling thoughts before the Lord! Take time to write them out and share them transparently with the Father of your heart who always listens! Be confident that the Lord only seeks your consistent obedience one small step at a time. When He leads you into something bigger, He will have well-prepared your heart so that saying a big yes, has already been well-practiced by saying small yesses!