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Sketched X Day 8 Dreams & Designs

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Genesis 41:1-32
Psalm 105:20
1 Kings 17:1-16
Daniel 5
Acts 10:1-33

Sketched X, Day 8

Something was amiss.

Our morning rations, never a priority here in the dungeons, arrived even later than usual. With shaking hands, Abasi, a young kitchen servant, fumbled the basket and water jug to the sandy ground.

In my role as overseer of the other prisoners, Abasi and I interacted regularly and had struck up a friendship; his behavior today was decidedly odd.

Meeting my eyes for a brief second, he whispered urgently,
“They’re coming for you.”

The best days in the life of a prisoner are marked by monotonous drudgery, and with this unusual warning, I felt dread settle over me. 

Abasi scurried away, and it wasn’t long before I heard confirmation of his prediction in the rattle of armor and tandem thud of marching feet descending to the dungeons.

“Yahweh,” I flung a quick prayer heavenward, “is this the end?”

A few hours later, I found myself standing before Pharaoh’s great throne. A crowd of courtiers ringed the pavilion, their murmurs dying into silence as Pharaoh raised his hand. Breathless, I waited.

When the guards had escorted me not to my execution, but to a sumptuous bath where I’d been cleansed, shaved, and dressed in fine clothes–luxuries I’d nearly forgotten existed–I’d been able to discover my sudden removal from prison was motivated by a series of disturbing dreams. Pharaoh’s disturbing dreams.

Dreams. Again.

Several years ago, I’d vowed I was finished with dreams. They brought nothing but intense suffering and soul-crushing disappointment. Never again, I’d promised myself, would I speak of dreams or their interpretations.

“I have had a dream,” Pharaoh’s voice rang out. “And no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said about you that you can hear a dream and interpret it.” (Genesis 41:15)

My heart plummeted through the smooth obsidian floor on which I stood.
Closing my eyes, I swallowed hard.
“Yahweh,” my mind cried. “What should I do?!”

Suddenly, I was back where it all began, in my father’s tents. I watched myself, decades younger, interrupt the family meal to describe my vivid dreams.

As the scenes I’d re-lived a thousand times played out before my eyes, the familiar narrative replayed. I viewed my brothers as demons, driven by the threat of my dreams to wreak incomprehensible cruelty on my younger, defenseless self. But this time, the narrative began to shift and my eyes were open to new insights from the Lord. 

Suddenly, I saw pride snaking around my heart and spilling from my mouth in impetuous, thoughtless words. 

Suddenly, I realized that, as my father’s favorite son, I’d been given more voice and power than was wise for such an immature, zealous boy. I’d abused these, never once considering what words, context, or timing would be appropriate for sharing  my dreams . . . or even if Yahweh was leading me to share. 

Suddenly, I understood the dreams were not the cause of my suffering.
My brothers’ sin . . . and my own, I saw for the first time . . . had landed me in that cistern.
In the years that followed, my voice and power had been lost. 

Instantly, my mind returned to the dungeon. 

Unjustly imprisoned, I’d grabbed at a chance to free myself by interpreting the dreams of members of Pharaoh’s court. Again, I saw my interactions with sudden clarity.

I’d pinned my hopes for freedom on a fellow prisoner, too caught up in protesting my innocence and decrying my victimhood to seek guidance from Yahweh. I’d planned for my release, and spent days rehearsing the speech I’d give when I was exonerated. 

But days turned into years, and my plans fell apart.
Overcome by hopelessness, I decided I was finished with dreams.
They were nonsense; how could they possibly be part of Yahweh’s plans?

But . . .
What if I’d misunderstood Yahweh’s purpose in His dreams?
What if Yahweh sent them as assurance of His plans, inviting me to trust His faithfulness and power despite my confusion and suffering?

What if dreams were a tool in Yahweh’s hands,
which He used to work His designs for my life and His world?

Suppose, instead of spelling disaster, dreams were a divine kindness,
a call to partner with Yahweh on His mission?
What if Yahweh used dreams and interpretations as part of His plan to bring justice and salvation to the world?

The impatient clang of the Pharaoh’s serpent scepter against the floor brought me back to the present.

Trust Me.
My plans will not fail.
Speak.
His words reverberated through my spirit.

Drawing upon what I’d learned, both in my moment of sudden understanding and throughout my time in Egypt, I spoke.

Through me, Yahweh spoke words of prophecy and forewarning.
He revealed a plan of kindness, provision, and salvation.
Yahweh’s faithfulness to fulfill His plans is unfailing! (Psalm 36:5-9)

Elijah
King Ahab has led the people of Israel into desperate sin, so drought strangles our land. Yet Yahweh’s goodness is unfailing. He has saved me from Ahab’s search parties and satisfied all my needs. I cling to hope, knowing He is working out His plan to pursue and rescue His people. (1 Kings 17:1-16)

Queen of Babylon
Like the Cupbearer who finally remembered Joseph, I recalled a young prophet who could explain the inexplicable. When a message appeared in the air as King Belshazzar desecrated the holy instruments of the Hebrew God during a debauched festival, the prophet revealed it as a warning of the kingdom’s impending collapse. In His kindness, the Hebrew God offered a last chance for repentance, but Belshazzar refused. Within hours, he was slain by a rival. This Hebrew God’s plans are unfailing. (Daniel 5)

Cornelius
In my dream, the Hebrew God instructed me to send for a leader of The Way, named Simon Peter. Within four days, Simon Peter stood before me and taught about the Messiah, inviting me and my household to faith in Him. Though I didn’t understand them at the time, I now know God’s plans are unfailing! (Acts 10:1-33)

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A Note About Sketched
In this series, we are stepping into the shoes of various characters throughout history. Some are biblical, some are well-known in modern day times, and some are people our writers know personally. We do our best to research the culture and times surrounding these individuals to give an accurate representation of their first-person perspectives on life and the world, but we can’t be 100% accurate. “Sketched” is our best interpretation of how these characters view(ed) God, themselves, and the world around them. Our hope is that by stepping into their everyday, we will see our own lives a little differently!
Enjoy!
And keep watching for Sketched Themes to pop up throughout the year!

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

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Sketched X Day 2 Family Tree: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Family Tree!

The Questions

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?

Genesis 45:7-8

God sent me ahead of you to establish you as a remnant within the land and to keep you alive by a great deliverance.  8 Therefore it was not you who sent me here, but God. He has made me a father to Pharaoh, lord of his entire household, and ruler over all the land of Egypt.

Original Intent

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
This passage in Genesis comes after Joseph is already well established in Egypt. He had been nearly murdered by his brothers, sold into slavery, risen up in power under Potiphar only to be falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife, then sent to prison, given authority in prison, but left there, seemingly forgotten. Then, at the right time, Joseph was brought before Pharaoh to interpret a dream. The outcome of that exchange resulted in Joseph’s elevation to lord over Pharaoh’s household; he became second in command only to Pharaoh over all of Egypt. Joseph’s reflection in Genesis 50:19-20 reflects God’s purpose in the overall story and timing of every aspect of Joseph’s long journey. Joseph said to his brothers who had plotted his death, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You planned evil against me; God planned it for good to bring about the present result—the survival of many people.”

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
When we look at the full narrative of Joseph’s life, it’s obvious how God used all the circumstances that led up to Joseph’s high position in Egypt to both prepare Joseph (by humbling him and teaching him to depend upon God) and use him to bless a nation. If we divided Joseph’s story into segments, they would appear fruitless and perhaps could be seen as evidence of God abandoning someone who was faithful. Joseph acted rightly in the house of Potiphar yet was accused of adultery and unjustly imprisoned. Only looking at this scene could lead us to discount God’s faithfulness and “prove” God had abandoned Joseph. If we zoom in on Joseph’s years of being forgotten in prison after he accurately interpreted a dream and he pleaded to be remembered, we may feel God is unjust because Joseph’s circumstances were unfair. But when we see the whole of Joseph’s story we discover the ultimate, very good outcome of Joseph’s life. Even Joseph’s own lips attest of God’s supreme sovereign faithfulness. The Lord used every circumstance of Joseph’s life to position Joseph in just the right place, at just the right time so that only Joseph’s family would be saved, but the nation of Israel would flourish.

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
Joseph’s life journey was fraught with trouble, persecution, injustice, and hardship; it seemed to never end and was surely pocked with disbelief and doubt along the way. But the Lord’s love was relentless to not only finish His work for Israel but to also finish His work in Joseph’s heart. Joseph didn’t always trust the Lord steadfastly, but at the close of his narrative, he testifies of the good plans of the Lord. God developed Joseph’s faith through suffering. Joseph trusted God more fully as he grew in knowledge of God and His faithful character. Perhaps the greatest example of this truth is the cross of Christ, which would surely have been the greatest tragedy in all of history as it threatened to kill the Author of Life. But God in His love and sovereign authority used the cruelty of death to bring about our own salvation and reconciliation to God that was once an impossible gulf to span because of our sin’s heavy debt. If we could see Christ’s death through the eyes of the eleven remaining disciples during the first days after the crucifixion we would see utter tragedy and defeat. But the cross was a pathway and a means, not an end. Through the supreme suffering of Jesus, God reconciled the ungodly (all of us) to Himself, and made a way where there was no way so we could be called sons and daughters of God. (2 Corinthians 6:18) When we witness God turning the greatest tragedy into the greatest gain, we can trust God more fully with every hardship we endure. He is the same God now as He was at the cross. He is the God who went to the cross for us; such lavish love! (Romans 8:32)

Everyday Application

1) What do we learn about God’s plans from this passage?
God’s plans for His people, both individually and corporately, involve a far deeper and broader scope than we can see or fathom.  His plans are laid to work good for many even though they involve the temporary suffering of one or more people to achieve His ultimate blessing. Jeremiah 29:11 conveys this essential principle of God moving on behalf of His people as He spoke through the prophet to the nation of Israel who faced exile and captivity, “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your well-being, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” God is light, and in Him is no darkness whatsoever. (1 John 1:5) He is not the author of evil. (Job 34:12) He has no pleasure in wickedness. (Psalm 5:4) God has allowed evil in the world because He permitted humanity’s freedom of choice, and we chose sin, and will always choose sin when we act out of our sin nature. Even this gift of freedom to choose, like everything else God does, flows from His character essence of absolute love. (1 John 4:16) His will is good and perfect toward all His creation, emanating from His heart of love. This love is perfect, true, and trustworthy which is why we can rejoice in our sufferings and endure hardship. We confidently know and attest to the reality that God is working all things together for the good of those He loves and those who are called according to His purposes. (Romans 8:28)

2) How does God use what we see as impossible or dire circumstances to work out His plans and purposes?
God’s plans allow for suffering, which can make us squirm in our theological seats, but because of His goodness, our suffering is never in vain when we surrender our lives to His authority. (Hebrews 12:7) When we remember God’s character and we recall that He is incapable of sin or evil, we can view our circumstances in a new light. We can remember that God is constantly at work to do His good pleasure in the hearts and lives of His followers. (Philippians 2:13) He is working all things together according to His plans for good and He will graciously bless us and make us more like Himself in the process. (Romans 8:29) In light of this reality, the author of Hebrews encourages, “No discipline seems enjoyable at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. Therefore, strengthen your tired hands and weakened knees.” (Hebrews 12:11-12) His plans are firm and unwavering, flowing from His heart. (Psalm 33:11) What He plans, He will do. “The Lord of heavenly forces has promised: As I intended, so it will be; and as I have planned, so it will happen.” (Isaiah 14:24)

3) How can we respond to this knowledge about God’s overarching and intimate involvement in all our experiences?
We are prone to wander and drift, doubt and mistrust for we are each just as human as Joseph. We remain strong in our faith when things are going well and we sense God’s presence in our lives, but when God feels far, or our circumstances try us, our weak flesh easily doubts God’s goodness, care, love, and faithfulness. When we remember how God provided for Joseph, or for the Israelites in the desert for forty years, we cannot miss His constant presence and perpetual work even if it seems slow and too long to us. He never abandoned despite Israel’s rebellion and faithlessness for abandonment goes against His character. (2 Timothy 2:13) He is Emmanuel, God with us. (Matthew 1:23) He is not a God who is far, but a God who is near. This truth allows us to drop our anxieties. (Philippians 4:4-5) So many places in His word He echoes the truth of His nearness, His care, and His provision. In the short run, it may appear we have been overcome or that life is hopeless and we are helpless, but that is never the whole picture for all who have trusted Jesus as their Lord and Savior. “We are afflicted in every way but not crushed; we are perplexed but not in despair; we are persecuted but not abandoned; we are struck down but not destroyed.” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9) Let’s choose to remember God’s presence, His purposes, His goodness, His past actions on our behalf and in history so we can endure trials by keeping our eyes set upon His love. (James 1:2-4, Romans 5:3-5)

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Digging Deeper is for Everyone!

1) Take this passage (or any other passage).
2) Read it, and the verses around it,
several times
3) Write down your questions
as you think of them.
4) Ask specific culture related questions and be ready to dig around for your answers. Google them, use www.studylight.org, or look them up in a study Bible and read the footnotes (click on the little letters next to a word and it will show you
other related verses!). (www.esvbible.org)
5) Check your applications with other trusted Christians that you are in community with and embrace the fullness of God
in your everyday!

Digging Deeper Community

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Why Dig Deeper?

Finding the original meaning is a huge deal when we study Scripture and can make all the difference in our understanding as we apply God’s truths to our everyday lives.

In our modern-day relationships, we want people to understand our original intention as we communicate; how much more so between God and humanity?!

Here’s a little bit more on why we take Digging Deeper so seriously.

Study Tools

We love getting help while we study and www.studylight.org is one of many excellent resources, providing the original Hebrew (Old Testament) or Greek (New Testament) with an English translation.

Want to know more about a specific word in a verse? Click on “Strong’s Interlinear Bible” then click the word you’d like to study. Discover “origin”, “definition” and hear the original pronunciation – That Is Awesome!

Want more background? Click “Study Tools”, then pick a few commentaries to read their scholarly approach, keeping in mind that just because a commentary says it, doesn’t mean it’s true. (just like the internet :-))

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Whole Day 5 Breaking the Bonds

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Read His Words Before Ours!

James 4:7-10
1 Peter 5:6-11
Galatians 5:13-14
Isaiah 58:5-14
Romans 12:1-2

Whole, Day 5

When a wave of depression knocks me down or anxiety cripples me,
my body responds with intense chest pain, stealing my breath.
My muscles and bones are weighed down by sudden exhaustion.
My stomach churns and forces bile into my throat.
My thoughts flash back and forth, from slow-motion to frenzied.

Our world is broken, rife with oppression. Living under oppression is like living under the weight of heavy chains; for me, oppression has taken the form of struggles with mental health. For others, oppression may occur through social injustice, religious persecution, or even literal chains.

Yet in the midst of oppression, we have hope in God; the One True God, who is fully capable of healing my mental health and breaking every chain of oppression. As we partner with Him in His freedom work, we must choose to humbly submit ourselves to God, trusting He provides for and sustains us during the struggle.

One of my favorite Scriptures is the book of James, because his words read like a practical guide to Christan living, even in the midst of oppression. I’m grateful for a “road map” to help us access godly lives!

James 4:7-10 provides five ways to worship God as we fight the bondage oppressing us and keeping us from wholeness in Christ.

Verse 7: Submit to God
Verse 8: Draw near to God
Verse 8: Wash your hands & cleanse your heart
Verse 9: Grieve, mourn, and weep
Verse 10: Humble yourself before the Lord (1 Peter 5:6-11)

These acts of worship lead us to the beautiful promise of 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (emphasis mine):

“[B]ut whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil [of separation between God and His children] is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.”

What a beautiful image! Let’s take a closer look at the transformative acts of oppression-shattering worship listed above.

First, submission and humility (verse 7 and verse 10) are interwoven into our relationships with God and others. Submission requires humility, and we must have humility in order to submit to God.

Recently, I slipped into an old destructive habit of hidden self-harm. I knew my first step in submitting to God in humility was confession. I needed to let the Light of Jesus in by confessing to God and a trusted friend. Having a safe place to engage in confession brings godly, gentle conviction, which helped me make major life changes toward healing and wholeness. Conviction is both humbling and holy; it helps us walk in freedom and is not meant to cause us shame. God wants us free from sin, so we can draw close to Him. (verse 8)

How can we practice submission and humility in relationships with others? To begin, do you have at least one trusted, safe, Jesus-loving person in your life? If not, jump into the comments or join a group here at GTC! The internet can be a wonderful resource for building relationships: I am introverted and slow to trust, but I have found two treasured, Christ-loving, and encouraging friends online.

As you get started, consider looking for a church with an active online chat group during service (I host two nearly every Sunday), give someone a compliment, and go from there! Growth and change can be uncomfortable and require intentional action steps, but wholeness in Christ and healing are so worth it!

Next, verse 8 exhorts us, “Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.”

Three of my favorite ways to draw near to God are found in spiritual disciplines. I regularly fast from distractions and time wasters (fasting from food isn’t an option for me), I practice a weekly sabbath,
and I journal Scripture daily.

What about James’ seemingly-odd instruction to “cleanse your hands”?

According to the NIV Cultural Background Study Bible, “In this period [A.D. 40 and 50] Jewish people washed their hands before prayer.” Learning the cultural and historical background of God’s Word is vital to living it out! I’m going to start washing my hands before I begin prayer and meditation time with God; the physicality and intentionality of this small action will help remind me I am getting still before the Lord!

Finally, grieving, mourning, and lamenting (verse 9) before the Lord helps us embrace sorrow over sin. Sharing in the lament of another’s oppression builds empathy and moves us to compassion and the pursuit of God’s freedom and justice. (Galatians 5:13-14) In your own grief, we encourage you to seek support through counseling, and bring your honest pain to your Abba. (Romans 8:15) God knows we are hurting and meets us in our sorrow.

God calls us to wholeness in Christ and complete dependence on God. The book of Jeremiah contains God’s pleas for Israel to turn back to Him, and I believe His call is for us as well.

“Stand by the roadways and look.
Ask about the ancient paths,
‘Which is the way to what is good?’
Then take it and find rest for yourselves.”
(Jeremiah 6:16)

Start small, dear ones, turning toward God and the path He has laid out for us by implementing our acts of worship in your life today. Respond to God’s invitation to follow Him, finding freedom from oppression for ourselves and others as we journey toward wholeness!

*Written by Melis Chambers

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey! Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Whole Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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The GT Weekend ~ Champion 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) This week, we were introduced to some very difficult truths. The difficulty lies in the profound simplicity of God’s love for us, and in our inability to think outside of our own human limitations. “Now it is clear that no one is justified before God by the law, because the righteous will live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11) Abraham’s defining trait was faith. His faith prompted obedience, and his obedience was credited to him as righteousness. (Romans 4:3) This brings us to our first difficult truth: we are not chosen because we are qualified; we are chosen simply because He chose us. All we must do is believe. Read any story in the Bible, maybe Daniel in the lion’s den or Joshua at Jericho, and consider the qualifications of that story’s “hero”. You might be happy to realize they are people just like you and me and the hero isn’t them at all. God is always the hero. As we look at those same stories, the second truth comes to light: faith means letting go of limitations because God is not bound by them. Joshua never raised a sword, yet he watched a city crumble. (Joshua 6) Daniel spent the night in a den of lions and left without a scratch. (Daniel 6:21-22) The Almighty created us and all we see; who are we to tell Him what He can and cannot do?!

2) In keeping with these truths, we are introduced to the nitty gritty side of Moses and his faith journey. Moses rejected God’s commands because of his own human limitations. How often do you find yourself telling God, “I can’t possibly do what you are asking? I am weak or unskilled. I am incapable. You can do better than me.” Too often we avoid stepping into God’s purpose for us because we trust our insufficiencies to be more significant than our Savior. We tend to focus on the end result, but the end result isn’t for us. It’s for Him. God gives us the ingredients and then asks us to give them back to Him, so He can give us something even greater. In 1 Kings 17:8-16, we read of a widow who is instructed to feed Elijah some bread but has none to offer. She does have a handful of flour and a small bit of oil. We watch as God multiplies her ingredients so she can make bread and glorify Him who provides. Remember back in Moses’ story when we see him protest God? Each protest is based on his insufficiency, and each time God answers based on His sufficiency. Reflect on stories like these when you feel discouraged or unqualified and remember you serve a God who is qualified.

3) The waiting is never wasted. What a powerful sentiment! How many times have you felt stuck like you were called to go somewhere or do something but couldn’t quite make it happen? I have encouraging news for you. God is always working in your life; He is preparing you to do His will while simultaneously using you to do His will. Setbacks are teachers. They are purposeful, but we must remember God doesn’t face setbacks. He knows all things always and is in complete control. So, if you find yourself feeling stagnant, ask yourself why you are hesitating to step into God’s purpose for you or perhaps if you have focused on your purpose for you instead of God’s. If you are fearful and afraid, ask yourself what you are holding back on trusting God and why. Prayerfully ask Him to make these answers clear and for the strength and courage to move forward as He is calling you. He will not shy away from your doubt, your questions, your fear, or even your anger. The Lord of the universe longs to guide you. He does not need us, but He chooses us anyway because He loves us extravagantly!

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 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 back to the Lord and let His Spirit speak to you through it!

So that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself. Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness.’ Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Prayer Journal
Yahweh, thank you for showing me Your strength and wisdom this week. I am grateful to know my God is capable of impossible feats; no lion is too mighty nor storm too big for You. Lord, I know I can’t do this life without You, but sometimes I falter and doubt. I question You and Your sufficiency, but You know my heart and my mind. You know the weakness of my flesh, so please hear my cries when I’m weak, and calm my heart. Remind me who You are and what great power You possess. Help me let go of the limitations I have placed on You and simply bask in the sweet fact that You choose to use me to further Your Kingdom just because You love me. You are my strength, Lord, and my shield, for I have put my trust in You. (Proverbs 30:5) It is in Your Son’s name I pray, Amen.

Worship Through Community

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Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

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) Sara put words to a struggle we all encounter at various points in life, either to live in fear of people or walk in faith with the God who has never failed us. Take some time to identify where you have lived in fear of people in the past. How has the Lord shaped your heart to choose Him, as the better, over acquiescing to others? Celebrate His work here! Consider new challenges where you are apt to choose what people want at the expense of following the Savior? Take these specifically to the Lord in prayer!

2) On Wednesday, we were challenged to consider the pitfalls of our identity sources. Sara noted how grateful she was for having walked through a season of having her identity deconstructed. Consider writing out your top 4 markers of your identity and sift through the source for each of those. If the source is removed, the identity will crumble. What is holding up your identity?

3) All throughout this Journey Theme of Seeds, we’ve been challenging ourselves to consider “what if” we lived as boldly as the examples we find in the pages of Acts of those first century Christians. Their stories are incredible and their faith seems entirely other, but it began simply, exactly like our own. Each of their journeys grew from a seed of faith, nourished by a regular, consistent investment in a relationship with the God of the Universe in everyday life. The invitation for dramatic life change is ours as well. What If  you were to begin investing deeper with Jesus this weekend? Where might He take you? What would He want you to know? Who would He want you to share the gospel with? Suppose the Lord had written an invitation to you, what would your response be? Write it out and be willing to be different!

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 Job 38:31-33 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades
or loose the cords of Orion?
Can you lead forth the Mazzaroth in their season,
or can you guide the Bear with its children?
Do you know the ordinances of the heavens?
Can you establish their rule on the earth?

Prayer Journal
Ah Lord God, Your good kindness to us is so far beyond my comprehension. Keep taking my breath away with the vastness of Your love and Your design for life! You, who created galaxies we haven’t even explored. You, who gather the seas in Your hand. You who measure the mountains on a scale. You, who crafted the body of an ant and the structure of micro-organisms, purposed to have a relationship with every single human being on a deep and personal level. And then You called us out, made us new, and gave us purpose as You invited us into a mission to love others as You have loved us. Keep my eyes focused in this rich truth, reminding me You’ve invited me ever deeper into “What If!”.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
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Share how God spoke to you today!
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Worship Through Music

Champion Day 5 Legendary Hero

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Joshua 1:6-9
Numbers 13-14
Joshua 5:13-6:27
Isaiah 40:28-31
Isaiah 41

Champion, Day 5

Big burly guy, biceps of steel. Broad back, thick muscular legs. Oh, and a bushy beard.
That’s how *I* picture the Biblical Joshua.

Perhaps we mentally jump to the battle of Jericho as he carried out God’s counter-intuitive battle plan with strong leadership skills. (Joshua 6)

Or maybe we remember Joshua as a spy who explored the Promised Land, one of only two men who trusted God could bring them into the land. We might use words like steadfast, courageous, or brave to describe his heroism.  (Numbers 13-14)

Perhaps you don’t know much about Joshua; our only connection might be a fairly common verse, found in the book named after him, “Haven’t I commanded you: be strong and courageous? Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9)

Now, why would a brave man who led armies into countless battles AND stood nearly alone in his commitment to God’s promise need to be reminded to be strong and courageous THREE times in the span of four short verses?! (Joshua 1:6-9)

All too often, when we think of “famous” men and women of the Bible, we put them on a pedestal, esteeming them for their valor, courage, perseverance, wisdom, and strength. We look UP to them as someone special, set apart and used by God in extraordinary ways to fulfill His divine purposes. We begin to elevate them, believing WE could never do what THEY did.

Do you notice what we’ve done, though? We’ve taken GOD out of the equation. In truth, GOD was the one who worked through our mighty heroes of the faith, which makes GOD the real hero, NOT Joshua (or Esther or Gideon, or anyone else).

Since God doesn’t change (Hebrews 13:8), He can use US in the SAME way He did our favorite heroes of the faith! With this profound truth in mind, let’s revisit Joshua.

As I prepared for this Journey Study, I poured over the Scriptures, digging into Joshua’s story in a new way.

As I studied, God showed me He is always working in our lives, preparing us for the plans HE has for us.  Most often, we are not aware of what the future holds, but God knows every single detail and is weaving a BEAUTIFUL masterpiece, both in our lives and throughout history.

I bet Joshua would say the same, “I had NO clue when I saw Moses stretch out his staff over the Red Sea and the waters parted so we could walk across on dry land that one day *I* would be leading the people in a silent march around the city of Jericho and watching the walls come crumbling down on the 7th day.” (Exodus 14:21-22; Joshua 6:4-5) He might give a reflective sigh, “Man oh man, the JOURNEY sure prepared me for Jericho.”

Perhaps he would open up, “I was eager to settle in Canaan, the Promised Land. The daily manna along the way had filled me with the courage I would need at Kadesh when everyone else doubted God. (Numbers 13:26-33) I had complete confidence God would make a way for us, like He had at the Red Sea. But no one would listen! And because of THEIR doubt, we wandered in the desert for FORTY years. I had NO idea what God would teach me during that ‘wasted time’ in our nation’s history.”  After a long pause, he might add, “The waiting is NEVER wasted.”

Or maybe he would confess, “Even after all I witnessed God doing, I was still afraid as I assumed leadership from Moses. But God didn’t shame or scold me. He definitely didn’t abandon me. Nope! It was almost as if He grabbed my hand, leaned in close, and whispered in my ear, ‘Be strong and courageous. I’VE got this.’”

What about YOU?
Have you ever had Kadesh moments?

Faced with challenges, will we focus on the overwhelming, seemingly-impossible tasks before us, or will we fix our eyes on JESUS, trusting Him to provide strength, wisdom, and courage to follow Him?

Joshua would beg us to “be strong and courageous,” relying not on our own abilities, but trusting wholeheartedly in God, Who ALWAYS keeps His Word.

When we do, we watch walls come crumbling down, broken relationships restored, bodies healed, and bills paid.

You see, the God who helped Joshua conquer Jericho is the SAME God who is asking you to lead a small group, start a new job, or call an estranged family member.

The same God who gave Joshua the courage to believe in Him at Kadesh is the SAME God prodding you to take those foster care classes, write that book, present your idea at work, or message a friend who’s hurting.

If Joshua needed to be reminded (more than once) to be strong and courageous, it’s okay that we have our doubts, too. God is bigger than our fears. He can handle our questions.

So, my sister, be strong and courageous, FOR THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU, today, tomorrow, and FOREVER. ALL praise and glory and honor go to GOD, our TRUE Champion.

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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Champion Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Here’s a link to all past studies in Champion!

Worship X Day 5 The Unfailing One

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Ephesians 1:1-6
1 John 1:5-9
Psalm 100

Worship X, Day 5

Dependable and trustworthy.
Has never broken a promise.
Loving and kind, yet strong and protective.
Sounds like the perfect man, right? But these words describe someone far superior to any common man. These words merely scratch the surface in describing our Great God. 

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father
There is no shadow of turning with Thee
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be

Great is Thy faithfulness.
Such a bold statement. But God can back it up.
“Know that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps his gracious covenant loyalty for a thousand generations with those who love him and keep his commands.”
(Deuteronomy 7:9)

God is a faithful covenant keeper. With the Abrahamic covenant, He swore by Himself. He fulfilled both sides of the covenant. (Genesis 15) In a covenant, the “lesser” person would walk through the cut up pieces of animals, symbolizing their own fate if they did not uphold their end. But God walked through instead of Abraham, taking upon Himself the punishment. God guaranteed the fulfillment of the covenant because He is faithful.

Thousands of years later, Jesus came, died on the cross and was resurrected to begin a new covenant for all who believe in Him. “For a thousand generations” God was faithful to Israel. And now, thousands of years later, He is still faithful to all who place their trust in Him. (Psalm 100:5) Each day is an opportunity for a fresh measure of His faithfulness.

Morning by morning new mercies I see.
We can boldly proclaim, “Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you. I will praise your name,
for you have accomplished wonders, plans formed long ago, with perfect faithfulness.”
(Isaiah 25:1)
I can boldly proclaim it, looking back over every desperate prayer I’ve ever prayed, seeing His faithfulness to provide, direct, protect and heal.
He has never failed because His faithfulness is great.

O God My Father.
 C. Sproul said, “He has given to us the right and privilege to come into the presence of the majesty of God and address him as Father because indeed he is our Father. He has adopted us into his family and made us co-heirs with his only begotten Son” (Romans 8:16)

When we profess Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we become chosen, adopted, predestined and redeemed by God. (Ephesians 1:1-6) Each day is a reminder that we are His beloved daughters.

Morning by morning new mercies I see.
Jesus gave us a way to become comfortable with calling God our Father when He said, “But when you pray, go into your private room, shut your door, and pray to your Father who is in secret” and “Therefore, you should pray like this: Our Father in heaven, your name be honored as holy.” (Matthew 6:6-14)

This Father, who lavishes His love on us (1 John 3:1) is the one we can call on to provide our every need. (Matthew 6:31-32) He is our ultimate protector. How do we know? His Son told us, “My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand.” (John 10:29)

This Son, Jesus, has redeemed us “so that we might receive adoption as sons.
And because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, “Abba, Father!” So you are no longer a slave but a son [.]” (Galatians 4:5-6) So as sons and daughters, we confidently call to God Our Father who gives us the best gifts.

 There is no shadow of turning with Thee.
“Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.” (James 1:17)

One of the characteristics of God is His immutability, which means “God is unchanging in his being, perfections, purposes, and promises, yet God does act and feel emotions, and he acts and feels differently in response to different situations.” (Wayne Grudem)

Shadows shift and change, God does not. Shadows are not always present, but God is. God Himself says “For I the Lord do not change” (Malachi 3:6, ESV) The same God who created the earth, (Genesis 1:1-25) formed Adam and Eve, (Genesis 1:26-31) parted the Red Sea, (Exodus 14:15-31) rescued Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace, (Daniel 3:8-30) and sent Jesus to redeem us, (John 3:16) is the same unfailing God whose mercies are new every morning. (Lamentations 3:22-23)

As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.
A loving God who’s “faithfulness endures forever.” (Psalm 117:2)  Let me tell you about Him in my life. In 2020 my uncle, sister and grandmother and a friend all passed away. I got laid off from my job. Both my daughters lost their jobs. My husband had a medical emergency and had to have an emergency procedure.

I could have wallowed in my grief, sorrow and frustration. But instead I trusted in my unchanging God. I prayed to the God who helped me deal with the sudden loss of my dad twenty years earlier. I praised the God who provided a job within one month the previous year when I experienced my first layoff. Every morning I focused my eyes on the new mercy that God provided, enabling me to live for His glory one more day.

Gift cards showed up unexpectedly. Checks showed up from people I had not connected with in year. A job came from an unexpected place. I discovered new worship music to help me through my grief. God connected me more deeply to a beautiful soul, that I now serve alongside in ministry.

That’s just a sampling of how our loving, unfailing God works. There was never a time I felt alone, because God was always with me. (Matthew 28:20) He was always supporting me. (Psalm 94:18) And whatever else may come my way, I can endure because…..

Morning by morning new mercies I see.

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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship X Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
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Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship X!

Read His Words Before Ours!

Psalm 28:6-9
1 Samuel 1:27-28
Mark 9:14-29

I’ve sat down several times in the last few days to convey on paper my thoughts to the lyrics of a song that I might describe as haunting (as in, poignant and evocative; difficult to ignore or forget). Little did I know that my procrastination was actually working out God’s sovereign timing. I certainly don’t condone a habit of delaying inevitable tasks, but as always God was doing something, even through my postponement.
Letting go of every single dream, I lay each one down at Your feet.
Every moment of my wandering never changes what You see.
I’ve tried to win this war, I confess.
My hands are weary, I need Your rest.
Mighty Warrior, King of the fight, no matter what I face, You’re by my side.*

On the very morning I realized I could no longer delay my writing, I was also made aware of my great need to fully embrace the truths of the song in which I had chosen to meditate. The first two words stabbed me the very moment they caught my eye.

“Letting go…”
I recognized immediately the impact of those words throughout Scripture.
Abraham
Moses
David
Hannah
These are only a few examples of the kind of surrender to which we are called.

Paul’s life and message compel us to an even more radical release of our own wills, reminding us of the most humble and genuine surrender of all through the life and death of our Lord Jesus. Philippians 2:1-11

As a mama and grandma who has kids and grandkids living thousands of miles away, I have learned that letting go is a part of life. As a foster mom, the reality of releasing hits even harder because of the massive unknown attached to it. In the past several years, I have had to let go of how I had pictured life might look and trust God with the unforeseeable future of all the children that He has placed in my care.
Laying things down that I like at my good Father’s feet is one thing.
Laying people down that I love is another.
It freshly and squarely hit me today that
letting go is always the starting point for trusting God.

On this very day, we find ourselves in a place we have never been as foster parents. We have realized that we are unable to provide everything needed for the children who have recently entered our home. The brothers who came through the door earlier this week have experienced difficulties in their lives that I’ll never fully be able to comprehend.
The neglect they have encountered is completely foreign to me.

After several days of looking at my husband with a broken heart, he confessed that he is overwhelmed and underqualified for this particular situation.
Knowing that fostering kids in need like this has to be a team effort (he is an amazing foster dad), I knew it meant we had to make a change.
I have cried and prayed.
I had to come face to face with hidden motives and agendas and plans.
I had to admit that we are not called to save every child.
We are not even called to rescue them from terrible lives.
We are only called to be faithful servants.
I confessed to God: “My hands are weary, I need Your rest.”

You are my strength and comfort. You are my steady hand.
You are my firm foundation; the rock on which I stand.
Your ways are always higher. Your plans are always good.
There’s not a place where I’ll go, You’ve not already stood.*

Sometimes I do the right thing.
Sometimes I do the right thing for the right reason.
And sometimes I do the right thing for the right reason, but with a skewed view of God.

I forget that He alone is capable of doing what is perfectly good.
Only He knows what tomorrow brings.
I may have good intentions in the spiritual battle I’m fighting,
but if I don’t recognize that He is the King of the fight,
I begin to fight for outcomes and answers
rather than fighting for faith.

As I cry out to Him, I too often hold on to a false hope in my own ability to fix and heal.
Only when I let go of all my pre-conceived notions of what should happen am I able to fully trust Him.
My faith cannot be in the moving mountains or the parting waters,
though He is able to do those things, Exodus 14, Mk 11:22-24
rather my trust is to be completely in Him, not in what He does.

When You don’t move the mountains I’m needing You to move;
when You don’t part the waters I wish I could walk through;
when You don’t give the answers as I cry out to You, I will trust.*

The Psalmist communicates so clearly again and again that our trust must be solidly placed in only One Person.
HE is our strength and comfort.
HE is our steady hand.
HE is our firm foundation.
HE is our rock.
HE is exalted.

Yet, everything that makes Him a God who is far above us Isaiah 55:8-9,
doesn’t keep Him from also being a Father who is near and good! James 1:17

I am unable to fully explain how much I needed the truths of this song to permeate my heart and mind today. Letting these kids go is so difficult.
What is the Father calling you to let go of and trust Him with?
Lord, “Truth is, You know what tomorrow brings. There’s not a day ahead You have not seen. So, in all things be my life and breath. I want what You want, Lord, and nothing else.
I will trust in You.”*
Amen!

*song lyrics by Lauren Daigle, “Trust In You”


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Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship Week Three! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

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The GT Weekend! ~ Wilderness 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) At times, I’ve thought Joseph deserved some of the treatment he received. His behavior towards his brothers seemed to ask for pushback. I’m guessing that Joseph’s time in the deep pit and Egyptian prison brought him to his senses and closer to Jehovah. I love seeing the favor God continually showered on Joseph, even in “undeserved” hardships. From the pit to being sold, then falsely accused and locked in prison, still God rescued him and gave him the position of second in command in Egypt. Scripture doesn’t answer all the “why’s” of Joseph’s life, but in every situation, no matter how unjust or difficult, we see God teaching Joseph to emphatically trust Jehovah. How do you handle favor? Promotion? Do you let it go to your head or are you humble, choosing to bless the Lord? How do you handle adversity? Hardships? Do you lash out? Blame others? Or do you humbly choose to bless the Lord? In both scenarios we must constantly be on guard regarding our heart attitude. The Lord guards our steps, the Lord pursues our hearts, the Lord will faithfully grow our faith. Trust Him!

2) I can’t imagine how Naomi must have felt. We all have endured loss of one kind or another, or perhaps many losses, but I don’t personally know anyone who has endured such significant, sequential losses as Naomi. Is it any wonder she became bitter after losing her homeland, both sons, and her husband? When devastation hits it’s easy to allow bitterness to swallow you whole. Grief and sadness can blind us to anything positive. Naomi was so consumed by grief that despite the presence of her daughter-in-law, Ruth, it seemed she wasn’t enough. Bereft of husband, sons, and seemingly even Jehovah, Naomi believed she was alone. In truth, God hadn’t left her. When have you felt completely alone? Perhaps your suffering and losses have crowded out the truths you once claimed about God. Perhaps you, like Naomi, believe the Lord is against you. I’ve been here (more than once), fighting against the urge to surrender to the overwhelming feelings of rejection and bitterness. The felt need to tighten down and push our hurt under the rug is powerful, believing lies in the process. Still, truth calls out. Like Naomi, we can trust God has not forsaken us. We can “hold onto hope”.

3) When life feels easy and sweetly good, it’s easy to trust what we already know to be true, about God’s character. It’s easy to pursue Christ through prayer, worship, and service. What happens when we are hit with the unexpected? Consider your heart-response to everyday side steps like a flat tire, running late, or unmet expectations. Do you shirk the choice to worship, or do you submit the difficulty to the Lord? Consider your past or current challenges that are more significant. In what ways have you found yourself losing focus, forgetting truths about God, and walking away from worship? When we begin to disbelieve the truths we once clung to, it’s easy to allow our spiritual disciplines to slip. We skip prayer, disengage from worship, and pull back from serving others. The temptation is to stop focusing on truth and hone in on the source of our pain, but this distraction is exactly what the enemy wants! We must remember Jesus’ promise to remain present with us, then fight the enemy with tried and true weapons of prayer, worship, and service.

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 Matthew 8:6-10 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

“Lord, my servant is lying at home paralyzed, in terrible agony.”
7 He said to him, “Am I to come and heal him?”
8 “Lord,” the centurion replied, “I am not worthy to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I too am a man under authority, having soldiers under my command. I say to this one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.”
10 Hearing this, Jesus was amazed and said to those following him, “Truly I tell you, I have not found anyone in Israel with so great a faith.

Prayer Journal
Lord, what examples of faith we see in the Scripture that You have preserved! Lord, I confess outright that, while I do believe, how great an increase of faith I desire. Lord, help my unbelief! It seems, Lord, these wilderness seasons in life highlight my disbelief. Teach me to see these as opportunities to learn from You, the gentle, loving Savior.

I am not at all like the leper who runs to You first in order to be healed. (Matthew 8:1-2) I work so hard to fix myself and my own problems before “bothering” You. Lord, I confess my arrogance here!

Neither do I see myself as the faith-filled centurion. (Matthew 8:5-6) Teach me to put what I know to be true into practice in real, everyday life as I pray to you in faith. Help me to declare the truths You’ve taught me in Your word, believe them for myself, and live them out with greater faith.

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

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Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Build Day 5 Building Faith

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Nehemiah 4
James 2:14-26
James 1:2-4
1 Peter 14:12-19

Build, Day 5

Did you know haters existed in the Bible? They did, and today I want to talk about two of them, Sanballat and Tobiah. Their target? Nehemiah primarily, but also the Jews who had returned to Jerusalem after the Babylonian exile in an effort to resettle the city. Let’s see how Nehemiah’s haters operated.

The Israelites were minding their business, each working on rebuilding their assigned portion of the wall. Sanballat and Tobiah’s first line of attack against them was mockery and insults, trying to discourage the workers. (Nehemiah 4:1-3) Nehemiah, who was leading the building efforts, could have responded directly to them verbally or even physically, but he chose the way of wisdom and faith. He prayed. (Nehemiah 4:4-5)

Nehemiah trusted God to handle the opposition, instead of trying to handle them himself.  His response reminds me of someone else who prayed in response to His haters. Jesus, hanging on the cross, accused of being a liar and a fraud, turned to the Father in prayer instead of using His unlimited power against His haters.

“Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, because they do not know what they are doing.’” (Luke 23:34)

I’m praying we can follow these examples and respond to opposition with prayer, instead of trying to handle it by ourselves. After all, God said, “Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay.” (Deuteronomy 32:35) We need to trust Him, relying on Him to handle the situation.

If you thought Sanballat and Tobiah were done, think again. As the Israelites kept on building (Nehemiah 4:6), the haters upped the ante, plotting with other nations to attack the Israelites. (Nehemiah 4:7-8, 11) Some workers grew discouraged at the opposition and the sheer magnitude of the task remaining. (Nehemiah 4:10-12) This time, Nehemiah did not pray alone as many workers prayed alongside him. (Nehemiah 4:9)

Then Nehemiah asked everyone, leaders and workers alike, to do as he had been doing and would continue to do, trust God, who had shown Himself faithful time and again. While also, joining God by taking appropriate action. They could act as guards and protect themselves and their families. (Nehemiah 4:13-18)

Nehemiah armed the people with prayer and encouragement as well as the practicalities of guards, weapons, and an alarm system. The people responded by returning to the work God had given them. (Nehemiah 4:15-21) Nehemiah embodies the promise found in James 1:2-4, “The testing of your faith produces endurance.” That endurance makes us “mature and complete.”

Nehemiah was definitely being tested as a leader through escalating opposition and discouraged countrymen. Yet he showed himself mature by demonstrating his faith in God through prayer and works. He prayed, made and implemented plans, and even worked alongside the people. (Nehemiah 4:21-23) Imagine how encouraging it is for workers today to have their boss stay late, roll up her figurative sleeves, and help out with that critical project. Now imagine how the Israelites felt having Nehemiah join in the work, all the while risking his own life too!

James 2:17 says, “Faith, if it does not have works, is dead by itself.” How is this reflected in Nehemiah’s story? Nehemiah shows a complete picture of trusting God to work on our behalf, while also actively putting that faith to action by using the wisdom He imparts for leading well. We can learn much about building from this prophet.

As we are building our families, ministries, and communities, what can we learn from Nehemiah’s experience?

As we trust, pray, build, and endure, we can stand confidently on His assurance He will never leave us nor forsake us!

“Be strong and courageous; don’t be terrified or afraid of them. For the LORD your God is the one who will go with you; He will not leave you nor abandon you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)

Ready for more? Dig Deeper!
Join us for every Journey Study by signing up!
Looking for yesterday’s Journey Study?
Share your thoughts from today’s Study!

Don’t miss today’s Digging Deeper!     And we’d love to hear your thoughts from today’s Journey!    Comment Here!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Build Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!
Click the above image for today’s Digging Deeper!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Build!

The GT Weekend ~ Terrain 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) The Jordan River was muddy, narrow at some spots, and wide in others. During flood season, it rushed madly and left mud-covered banks on either side. The Jordan was far from the beautiful flow of cascading water we might be prone to conjure up in our mind’s eye as we read of Jesus’ baptism or of fledgling Israel crossing before the battle of Jericho. Muddy as it was, the Jordan River played a pivotal role in both Old and New Testament stories, acting as a transition from one major scene to another. Think back over the major turning points in your own spiritual life. What emotions and circumstances marked their significance? If you had been the author of your life, would you have chosen cleaner, easier pathways for your journey? While the Jordan didn’t win any awards for being beautiful and clear, it did provide life-giving water to the entire Judean plain. Sometimes, life is found in the most unsuspecting of places. If you could “drop a pin” in the locations of your life marked by ugly struggle and hardship, consider the muddy Jordan River flowing through these areas. Pray redemption over them, and remember how deeply God loves to bring good, life-giving things out of muddy messes!

2) Forgotten. Hidden away. “Nothing good comes from Nazareth”. On Wednesday, Brenda took us away on a journey between two cities, utterly insignificant in their description and their surrounding terrain, but flooded with impact that reaches our own place in time. The Lord God could have chosen anywhere for the Messiah to be born and teach, but He intentionally picked the forgotten and neglected. This theme continues through all of Scripture and is woven tightly into every redemption story. So, let’s do something brave together, okay? I’ll take out pen and paper and you do the same. Take a big breath and write down, by name, all the places you wish were known and loved about you and your story, but remain hidden, unseen, and tucked away. Or perhaps, you’ve dared bring these out into the light only to have them rejected, “Nothing good comes from (fill in the blank).” Go ahead, write them down, I’m writing too. Don’t just mentally tick a list, it’s important to put these in ink and let our eyes take in the sight. One word, two words, get narrower and more descriptive. Are there tears in your eyes like there are in mine? Now tear these out of the page you’ve written and hold them up in your hands outstretched to the God who sees all things and specializes in bringing significance and beauty and richness out of the “good for nothing”. Lord God, take our broken nothings and make them beauty as You know us completely!

3) When we begin studying the physical components of the ancient world where Jesus taught, walked, laughed, and died, we gain a new perspective on the world around us. God seems so far off sometimes, doesn’t He? We are tempted to think He is out of touch. Our challenge in studying Terrain is to be reminded that the God who ordains every leaf to tremble in the wind, and knows the whereabouts of every strand of your hair, is keenly present in every moment. The whisper of the wind. The silkiness of rose petals. The smudgy kiss of a toddler. He is present. Yesterday, we were encouraged to “take a tent” to the Mt. of Olives and let our sandal clad feet explore the rocks and budding flowers, and the let the wispy olive tree branches graze our cheeks. As we walked in our minds, we were prodded to consider our own journeys with Jesus. Where have we seen Him? How have we encountered Him? Where does our hope lie? Take a full 60 seconds and just pause. Close your eyes and see the mountain, smell the breeze, listen for the Savior’s voice. What do you hear? As you open your eyes to your own landscape, decide to look closer into the ordinary things and be reminded of the utterly un-ordinary God who loves 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 Luke 12:6-7 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten in God’s sight. Indeed, the hairs of your head are all counted. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

Prayer Journal
Here is my mess, Lord, will You take it? Myself. All my sinful ways. The ways I decide to trust me over You. The attention and love I give to those things and while choosing to ignore You. My hard heart and sharp tongue. My love of self.
Here is my list of hidden things, all those I tuck away sensing their insignificance and rejection; will You look at them? Wayward sons, willful daughters, broken trust, scars too deep for words, dreams I try to pretend haven’t died, wistful aches that I don’t voice.
Here are my ordinary everyday things, Lord. Soap bubbles, sticky floors, strong-willed children, wayward sons, willful daughters, the scent of outside play, the tree branch outside my window, the silky grass at my feet, the softness of my pillow, and Your words singing over me to the rhythm of the Spirit’s dance.
Lord God, how is it possible for You, the Holy of Holies, to look upon me and all my wretchedness? Yet, You do. More so, You invite the broken, the heavy-laden, the sin-shattered to come. It’s as if our brokenness is the requirement for coming to You that You might redeem and make whole. Lord God, may it be so. Let me know You.

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