"I am the vine, you are the branches: He that abides in me, and I in him, the same brings forth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing."

FEBRUary

DWELL

Set a 10 minute timer and dwell on these words from John the Baptist beginning in John 3:27


"A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven...He must increase, but I must decrease.”

• Take some deep breaths through your nose.

• Take note of some things you have received from the Lord recently.

• What would it mean for you today for Him to increase and you decrease?

• What are some areas in your life that NEED the Lord to increase? Can you decrease there somewhere?

• Take a moment to remember your fully dependency on the Lord and His faithfulness to you.

Give

Practice Generosity Today

The act of generosity, at it's heart, is our natural response to the generosity of the Lord. The picture painted in scripture is that of the Lord hosting a celebration and inviting us, His guests, to enjoy the bounty of His generosity. We, in response, are to extend that same generosity to those around us. Offer to a friend or loved one the same generosity the Lord has shown you. Mimic your heavenly Father.


- If you've been blessed financially, find a way to bless financially in a world of need.

- If you've been blessed with peace, find a way to be a peacemaker in a world of chaos.

- If you've been blessed with joy, find a way to bring joyfulness in a world of darkness.

- You get the idea: identify where the Lord has blessed you and pass it on.

Gather

Do Something Together

Our culture puts such a high value on independence, we often default to going solo when community is better. Consider your upcoming tasks, to-do lists, errands, and hobbies. What are some things you can do together with someone instead of going solo? For most people, this will mean slowing down and being less efficient. For some, this will also involve stepping outside of your comfort level. For everyone, the more community we can have in our life the more opportunity we have to bless others and to catch a glimpse of what the Lord is doing in someone else's life.

Grow

The Blessing - Living the Radical Way of Jesus

A 12-day bible study through the beatitudes of the Sermon on the Mount and how to live them out daily.


Who gets blessed in God’s upside-down Kingdom? Pray through the beatitudes, Jesus’ transformative teaching about God’s goodness for the most unexpected people, and reflect on how you can live in a radically different way.

EXTRA

This Lie Can Keep You From Living Generously - The Bible Project

The Bible describes God as the generous host of a party and humans as his guests. Jesus gave his life as the expression of God’s generous love, a love that turns death into life and scarcity into abundance. 

January

DWELL

Set a 10 minute timer and dwell on the opening lines of Psalm 103


"1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

  and all that is within me,

  bless his holy name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

  and forget not all his benefits"

• Take some deep breaths.

• Take a moment to tell your soul to bless the Lord.

• What are some things in you that are blessing the Lord? What are some things in you that need to bles the Lord? What are some things in you that the Lord is drawing your attention to?

• Remember His benefits. What are some qualities of God that you haven't remebered in a while?

Give

Practice Presence Today

Give your loved one - your spouse, child, good friend - your undivided attention. Put the phone down and don't peek at it as they discuss their day, their ups, their downs. We are often tempted to multi-task but when we do we are not fully present on any of the tasks. If someone matters to you, train your soul to give them your attention.

Gather

Show Up

When someone is grieving a death, we often can't remember who said what or who helped with a task, but we always remember who showed up. Your attendance matters to others. Identify a few key areas this week that you can "Show Up" and do it. You don't have to have answers or be the life of the party. Just showing up for the important things matters.

Grow

Everyday Theology: What You Believe Matters

A 5 day Bible reading plan that explores 5 key concepts of Christianity.

EXTRA

The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry: How to Stay Emotionally Healthy and Spiritually Alive in the Chaos of the Modern World 

“Who am I becoming?". That was the question nagging pastor and author John Mark Comer. Outwardly, he appeared successful. But inwardly, things weren’t pretty. So he turned to a trusted mentor for guidance and heard these words: “Ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life. Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life.”


It wasn’t the response he expected, but it was—and continues to be—the answer he needs. Too often we treat the symptoms of toxicity in our modern world instead of trying to pinpoint the cause. A growing number of voices are pointing at hurry, or busyness, as a root of much evil.

 

Perfect for anyone looking to de-stress and connect more, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry is a fascinating roadmap to staying emotionally healthy and spiritually alive in the chaos of the modern world.

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