Copyright © 2021—Lifeway Church

All rights reserved. This book is protected by the copyright laws of the United States of America. This book may not be copied or reprinted for commercial gain or profit. The use of short quotations or occasional page copying for personal or group study is permitted UNSHAKEABLE and encouraged. Permission will be granted upon request.

Unless otherwise identified, Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by FAITH Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Scripture quotations marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Lifeway Church 2230 Lebanon Valley Mall CONTRIBUTORS Lebanon, PA 17042 FROM LIFEWAY CHURCH: www.lifewaychurch.life Mark Bilik Amy Calkins Printed in the United States of America. Kim Burris Toby Burris Gary Groff Renee Groff Dean Lengel Alicia Martin Vern Martin Aaron Patches Brittany Patches Steve Sabol Danielle Yingst Unshakeable Faith: PRAY: Use these prayers to help you connect with Jesus or to A confident belief in God’s character and nature that cannot activate your own conversations with the Lord. be destroyed by external circumstances Want to go further? We’ve included additional material at the If you’ve ever seen the damage a storm can do, you know that back of the book to help you learn along with others. nothing is secure once the wind begins to blow. Limbs fall from trees, potted plants are toppled, and rocking chairs are whisked offers supplemental scripture readings and from porches. Our lives are not much different if we have not laid Going Deeper discussion questions that can be used for small groups, couples, the groundwork for a faith that withstands the storms of life. or families who want to broaden their understanding of faith in a group setting. The word of God encourages us to build our lives wisely. Listen to these words from Jesus in Matthew 7:24–25: “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise Family Devotions includes hands-on activities and conversation- man who built his house on the rock. And the rain fell, and the starters for families with young children. floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” Our hope is that your faith continues to expand and grow beyond this 21-day adventure. While we believe this book will be helpful, ultimately, it is the power and presence of the Holy Spirit living For the next three weeks, we invite you to build an unshakeable inside you that will activate your faith journey, spur you on to love foundation of faith as you engage in reading God’s word and God’s word, motivate your prayer life, and help you persevere applying it to your life. Your daily scriptures and devotionals will when life gets challenging. All of this is possible with Jesus Christ! explore the following principles about faith: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Faith grows. Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of Faith believes. eternity. Amen” (2 Peter 3:18). Faith acts. Faith anticipates. Faith perseveres. Renee Groff Discipleship Pastor Each day offers you the opportunity to go deeper as you engage Lifeway Church in the following activities:

REFLECT: Ponder your past experiences and current mindsets in order to maximize your faith journey.

APPLY: Be encouraged to grow in your faith through practical application of each day’s concepts.

JOURNAL: Record what you are hearing and learning from God as you process your daily experiences. As we embark on this faith journey together, here is a bit of good news!

1. Faith is a gift. FAITH 2. You can ask for more. Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged by what we perceive as our lack of faith. Thankfully, God has a different perspective. He GROWS. likes to use our circumstances to provide what we lack and grow our faith.

When God’s word and His power, combined with our willingness to grow and learn, are applied to our circumstances, the result is a dynamic upward trajectory in our faith journey! When we can see the big picture of what God is doing, our perspective shifts, and we can learn to trust God even when it is hard to do so. DAY 1 REFLECT: Think about the people who left a lasting impression on you. How did their faith in God impact the way they lived day to day? How …remembering before our God and Father can you shift your thinking about your own legacy? your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. APPLY: 1 Thessalonians 1:3 Ask the Lord to reveal to you the purity of your work of faith, labor of love, and steadfastness of hope in Christ and to strengthen I often ponder what kind of legacy I want to leave behind when any areas that are weak or wavering or lacking. I am gone. How do I want people to remember me? I hope they recall me with fondness, that they will have felt loved by me, and that I will have spoken something into their lives that made a JOURNAL: difference. As I’ve crossed the mid-century mark, I realize that a lot of my goals and aspirations don’t really matter in light of Write out the kind of legacy of faith you wish to leave for those eternity. Sure, it’s nice to have a good hair day, bake a mean coming behind you. Give thought to what you want to be known batch of brownies, or be known for a great sense of humor, but for and how you will make it a reality. I’m fairly certain those things have no real lasting value when it ______comes to impacting the lives of other people. ______I cannot think of a better legacy than the one Paul refers to in his ______opening remarks to the church at Thessalonica. He specifically ______references three things: ______Their work of faith: Everything they did was energized by faith ______in Christ—not by a sense of duty or obligation, but by a genuine ______belief in God that fueled their actions. ______Their labor of love: Sometimes love is hard work, but they were ______willing to do whatever was necessary to demonstrate the love of God without worrying about what personal sacrifices they might need to make. PRAY: Their steadfastness of hope in Christ: Their hope in Christ’s presence in the now as well as their confidence in the future He “God, I want to be known for my unwavering faith in You. Please had promised helped them endure and persevere when times help me to grow and mature in this area. Help me to serve and were difficult. love You and others from a place of genuine faith. Keep my motivation pure and my hope firm. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” Let’s be mindful of our legacy today and make it our goal to be known for our faith in Christ. –Renee Groff DAY 2 REFLECT: Consider the goodness and generosity of God, that He doesn’t ask anything of you that He doesn’t also supply. He not only does The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!” His part, but He also helps you to do your part. Thank Him for Luke 17:5 His kindness and the grace that empowers you to live your life for Him.

I grew up in a Russian/Ukrainian household, and we always had APPLY: food in the house. Always, always. A meal meant to satisfy the appetites of three to five people was actually enough to feed ten. Ask God, “How can I walk a little bolder in my faith today? What’s The leftovers always abounded. a baby step of obedience that I can take, believing more than I did before?” My childhood home was a place of plenty. Whenever I felt sheepish about eating the last piece of chicken on the dinner table, my parents said, “Eat, eat! There’s more on the stove.” JOURNAL:

When it comes to our faith, it can be easy to see it as something in What are some areas in your life where you feel like you don’t limited supply, something we must drum up in our own strength have enough faith? List them below and ask God for more faith before God will move. We think, “Well, that’s a level 10 miracle, to believe for breakthrough. and I’m only fielding a level 2 faith right now, so I need to try ______harder until I have more faith.” What if there is an easier way? ______When you got saved, when you believed Jesus’ blood covered all ______your sins for all time, where did that faith come from? I contend ______that the Holy Spirit gave it to you as a part of your “yes” to Him. ______It was a gift. ______So if God’s gift of faith is what is required for mountains to move ______and for breakthroughs to happen, why not put “more faith” on ______your wish list? Why not ask Him for it?

You were created for trusting God the Father in bold faith. There’s PRAY: always more for you to take hold of. The God who requires faith from you also gives it freely to you if you ask Him. Always, always. “God, thank You for the gift of faith. I believe I can do all things –Mark Bilik through Christ who strengthens me. Please increase my faith and help me to partner with You, believing for the big things you want to accomplish in the world around me. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 3 REFLECT: Spend some time reflecting on a passage you sense the Holy Spirit leading you to. It might be one of your favorites, or it might So faith comes from hearing, be something totally new and unfamiliar. Explore the reasons why and hearing through the word of Christ. the Holy Spirit may have led you to this logos. Romans 10:17 APPLY:

In the New Testament, two Greek words in the original scripture As you meditate on that passage, ask the Lord to speak to you. are translated as “word.” The first,logos , refers principally to the Ask Him for a rhema, a timely word that carries the potential to total inspired scripture and to Jesus, who is the living word. The significantly impact you. Use your faith to deal with the unbelief second Greek word is rhema, which refers to the spoken word. that would say, “God would never speak to me,” and then expect Rhema literally means an utterance. Rhema is the voice of the Him to speak. Faith comes by hearing the rhema. Holy Spirit speaking to us in the present moment. Sometimes these direct words of God to an individual can be imparted through the words of others. We can experience God’s direct JOURNAL: leading. Powerful things happen when the logos word of God becomes the rhema word of God! As you are reflecting, record the words and messages that God is downloading to your spirit. Write them out, because the weakest I recently reconnected on social media with someone I pastored ink is mightier than the strongest memory. about 40 years ago. They recounted to me a sermon I had ______preached back then and repeated verbatim a statement I had made in that message that radically changed their life. The rhema ______had stayed with them all these years. I find it humorous that I ______don’t remember the day, the message, or the statement they ______referred to. For me, it was more of a logos. But the Holy Spirit ______took the logos and made it a rhema, thereby powerfully changing a life. ______rhema The test of the authenticity of a from God is how it ______compares to the whole of scripture. I believe God will never speak a word that contradicts His written word, so He has given us a built-in safeguard to prevent misinterpretation and abuse. PRAY:

During these 21 days of prayer and fasting, may we intentionally “Jesus, I thank You for speaking to me through Your logos and seek after and listen for the rhema word of God to us. –Steve Sabol Your rhema word! Give me spiritual ears to hear what Your Spirit is wanting to say to me and the faith, courage, and strength to act upon what I hear. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 4 REFLECT: Consider the attitude Jesus had when He faced suffering. What is your usual attitude toward difficulty and pain? Do you Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various believe God’s love for you is big enough to walk you through any kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces heartache and grow you through it? steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. APPLY: James 1:2–4 Think of an area of difficulty or pain in your life. Have you embraced the process, trusting God to grow you through it, or Our culture is in love with comfort and ease. The rapid are you still trying to avoid the pain? What can you do to findjoy advancement of technology and medicine in recent decades has in the midst of this difficulty? made us believe, on some level, that we can avoid (or at least delay) pain and difficulty in our lives. Yet, pain is often part of growth. JOURNAL:

When, as a pre-teen, I hit my growth spurt, I experienced intense What practical steps can you take to help you see the big picture growing pains in my shins. It was horrible. Sometimes I would sit of faith and growth in your circumstances? What do you think and rub my shins for an hour or more, wishing the pain would God might be doing in you through this season? leave. Eventually it did, but not for several months. Growing up ______was painful, but in the end, I was taller. ______Jesus promised us that we will face hardship in this life (see John ______16:33). Difficulty and pain are part of the human experience on ______earth—not because He causes it, but because we live in a world ______that is not yet fully submitted to His lordship. Knowing that pain is unavoidable in this life, the apostle James said we should ______count such experiences as joy because of the fruit they produce ______in our lives. Sometimes, growing is painful, and sometimes, pain ______initiates growth. Either way, if we respond to the pain with faith and trust in Jesus, He will use our process of walking through difficulty to make us more like Him. PRAY:

Jesus set a glorious example for us in the way He suffered. Instead “Jesus, I thank You for redeeming the moments of difficulty and of resenting it, He faced it with faith in the love of God, which pain in my life. Help me to respond in faith and trust, knowing is big enough to grow us through anything. He truly can take that You can use this season to produce Kingdom fruit in me. what the enemy meant for our harm and turn it into something Help me to see the big picture and to count it all joy. In the name beautiful. –Amy Calkins of Jesus, Amen.” When we are focused on the challenge of our circumstances, it is easy to walk in fear or doubt or unbelief. Like walking in the dark without a flashlight, we tend to only see where weare rather than FAITH where we are heading. God provides beautifully by giving us faith to believe what we cannot yet see. This faith sustains us when we are weary, holds BELIEVES. us together when we are falling apart, and calms our fears when we lack peace.

If you are struggling to trust that God is present and powerful in your current situation, know that you can walk in this kind of faith even when you don’t know the outcome or see the end in sight. True faith is a place of rest for our hearts and minds. DAY 5 REFLECT: Do you have the blessed assurance that you are really ready to meet Jesus? If not, what is keeping you from that hope, and what Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, needs to shift in your thinking? the conviction of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 APPLY:

If we have such great faith, we should want to share it. Ask the A few years ago, I was called to anoint a gentleman who had Lord for an opportunity to share with someone about the hope endured many years of operations and battles with his health. of eternity with Him. I was always happy to anoint and see God’s healing power at work. This anointing, however, would be quite different from what I expected. JOURNAL:

This Christian man knew he had fought the fight and wanted an As you reflect on the assurance we have in Christ, write down anointing not for physical healing, but to prepare himself to meet your personal faith statement in Jesus. Jesus. He knew in his heart his options for earthly healing were ______limited and would just bring more pain. He had total assurance that he would be seeing Jesus soon. He had no reservations in his ______faith or doubts about where he would soon find his home ______Through faith in Jesus, we have the hope and assurance that ______we will be with Him through eternity. I should not have been amazed at this man’s faith, for it is something we should all have ______as believers in Jesus. Two things that stand out from John 14 are ______that Heaven is real and that Heaven is created for us. There we ______will no longer experience pain or sorrow. ______This man had unwavering faith that he had fought the good fight and was ready to receive his victor’s crown. I wanted to see a PRAY: physical healing in the flesh, but what I received was far greater. I saw an individual who lived out his faith and was an inspiration “Jesus, I praise You for Your love, and I thank You for the promise to all who knew him. –Dean Lengel that You have given me hope of eternal life and have prepared a place for me. Increase my passion to lead others to faith and to be a light in the darkness. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 6 REFLECT: Picture how freeing it would be if you did not need to see a sign of God’s faithfulness every time your stress level was elevated. Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you How would your life be different if you lived that way? have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” APPLY: John 20:29 As unwelcome and unplanned things come your way today, determine that your faith in the unseen—but real and present— Every student of the Bible has probably imagined how wonderful God will prevail on your behalf. it would have been to walk with Jesus while He was on the earth. How much stronger would our faith be if we saw Him walking on the water, for instance? How about watching the JOURNAL: bread and the fish just keep coming when you were sure the supplies would not have made it past the first five people? No List all the things in your life that are evidence of how the invisible reader of this devotional is near old enough to have ever had that God has revealed Himself to you. type of real-time earthly encounter with the Messiah. Yet, Jesus ______told Thomas that we who have never seen Him, and still believe, are blessed, too. ______Have you ever made a business deal with someone that was sealed ______by a verbal agreement? If so, some wise person probably came ______along and told you, “You should get that in writing.” Whether or not you decide to memorialize the deal in writing will probably ______come down to how much you trust the other party. ______Likewise, in a sense, Jesus is presenting you a “deal” in this ______passage. “Trust Me, though you do not see Me, and it will pay off for you.” So how much do you trust Him in this offer? Your end of the bargain is a promise to believe Him exclusively. You are PRAY: not trusting your own understanding, the bad council of others, or the lies of the enemy. Here is more good news: It is a deal in “Jesus, thank You for telling me that I am blessed by confidence writing, found in His word! in You, even though we have not yet met face-to-face. Help me to remember that promise the next time I feel all alone in my The Father is going to be proud of you on the day when Jesus is difficult circumstances. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” revealed to the world! –Toby Burris DAY 7 REFLECT: Do you find it difficult or easy to trust God, to believe His word, or to continue in faith until you see the fulfillment of God’s And blessed is she who believed that there would be promises? Do you have a child-like faith in your Father God’s a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord. ability to lead, guide, and direct you? Luke 1:45 APPLY:

When our kids were young, we learned to create anticipation Where do you doubt? Where are you cynical? Where have you and excitement for the future by sharing some plans with them lost hope? Identify the areas of your life where child-like faith is in advance. “Next week, we’re leaving for the beach!” or “Let’s no longer being applied. Confess your fears, your loss of hope, or pack all your things guys. Next week we’re moving to a new your doubts to God and commit to trusting in Him again. house!” If we told them too far in advance, they would lose track of time and ask about it every day until we left. But if we told them closer to the event, it built excitement and hope for the JOURNAL: immediate future without too much delay, which can lead to impatience or doubt. Make a list of every area where faith and trust in God needs to be rebuilt. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you identify these areas. Then When they were young, our kids had no reason to doubt our plans pray and give them to God one by one: or intentions, and with a child-like faith, they simply believed ______that what we said was going to happen would indeed happen. Even if they weren’t sure where we were going or what it would ______look like, they still trusted us. We may have changed a few plans ______because of weather or other factors, but they trusted us fully and ______completely. Our words were golden and simply truth to them. ______This was great, but it was also a sobering responsibility. ______In the scripture passage above, Elizabeth commends her cousin, ______Mary, for her child-like and simple belief in God’s plans. When ______God sent an angel to inform Mary that she would carry the Christ- child and give birth to the Savior of the world, she believed God! She could not have fully understood everything or known what PRAY: the journey would look like. She just said, “YES,” and then shared the experience with her cousin, who also believed the plans of “Father God, I choose to trust and believe that Your plans and God. No doubt, no unnecessary questioning, no cynicism or fear, purposes for me will unfold as You have determined. Forgive me just simple faith that says, “I believe You, Lord.” –Vern Martin for my doubts, fears, or lack of faith. I give these weaknesses to You and put my faith in Your ability to shepherd me and speak to me on this journey. In Jesus name, Amen.” DAY 8 REFLECT: Spend some time reflecting on how you pray and ask for things from God. Do you tend to be vague or specific? Consider the words you choose to use when conversing with the Father. Could And Jesus answered them, “Truly, I say to you, if you have faith being more specific lead to greater results? and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ it will happen. And whatever you ask APPLY: in prayer, you will receive, if you have faith.” Matthew 21:21–22 As you pray today, get specific. As you pray for God’s blessings upon your family, get detailed. Like, “God, may my children rise up and become change agents in a stagnant world.” Or, “Father, It is very important to be specific when we ask things from God. make my marriage a beautiful reflection of Jesus’ relationship Too often our prayers are broad generalities, such as, “Bless with His bride, the church.” Get the picture? Specificity matters. my family.” It’s important to note that Jesus said, “…say to this mountain,” not, “…say to a mountain.” JOURNAL:

David Yonggi Cho is a South Korean Christian minister who As you are reflecting on today’s devotional, write down the cofounded the Yoido Full Gospel Church, the world’s largest specific ways you can pray about the things that are weighing congregation, along with his mother-in-law, Choi Ja-shil. I have heavy on your heart. long admired his faith and passionate commitment to prayer. In ______one of his books, he chronicled a time when he was asking God for a bicycle to transport himself around town as he ministered ______as a pastor. After months without an answer, he eventually asked ______God, “Why?” He claims the Lord said, “Because you didn’t tell ______me what kind of bike you wanted.” Cho then prayed, “Father, I ______want to have a bicycle made in the United States with gears on the side so that I can even regulate the speed.” The bicycle came ______in short order. ______Granted, Cho’s story is probably more about the way God deals with him than it is about a universal truth that every Christian should pursue. But a valuable tool can be found in his story. God PRAY: seems to honor specificity. “Father, help me to remember that being specific as I pray for In Matthew 10:46–52, blind Bartimaeus cried out, “Jesus, Son of things is important. Help me to avoid the broad generalities that David, have pity on me!” Jesus’ reply was, “What do you want are so easy to say when I am praying. Keep me from praying me to do for you?” Bartimaeus’ answer: “Master, I want to see!” with vain repetition when I am talking with You. Make me a more Right away, the man could see! BE SPECIFIC! –Steve Sabol efficient and effective prayer. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” Faith is more than a feeling. It is a confident belief in God that fuels our actions. In fact, what we do becomes evidence of what we believe. This kind of faith compels us to do things that may FAITH seem courageous and brave to those who do not understand. Because faith is largely based on the unseen realm, it is easy to get tripped up by what we see rather than standing firm on what ACTS. we know. But rest assured—once you are confident of God’s goodness, it becomes easier to do what He asks without having all the answers.

We get to choose what kind of life we want to live. But great reward awaits those whose faith propels them into mighty acts of courage. DAY 9 REFLECT: Looking back on your life, can you see any gaps between something you say you believe and what you actually put into So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. action? But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, APPLY: and I will show you my faith by my works. James 2:17–18 Think of a specific area where you are apprehensive about taking a leap of faith. Is there someone, like Shawn, who can encourage Growing up, my best friend, Shawn, would consistently push me you to go for it? beyond what I thought I had the ability to accomplish. He would often exhort me to believe I was capable of a task I thought was impossible. Once, while bounding down a robust river from rock JOURNAL: to rock, we came to an impassible section, except for a 15-foot rift with its landing about 5 feet below our launch pad. In standard Find a Bible verse related to the area where you need to take a Shawn fashion, after 15 seconds of assessment, he shot across leap of faith. Write it down and then record how it might support, the distance, sticking the landing with ease. Despite Shawn’s encourage, or strengthen you. encouragement, I was having trouble believing I could make the ______leap and, therefore, was struggling to do so. Finally, I made my approach and jumped. I made it! ______It is important to live a life of active faith instead of simply saying ______we have faith. Just as it would not be enough to say, “I can jump ______the 15 feet,” then back down when the opportunity presents itself, it is not enough to say we have faith and then back down ______when the opportunity arises to walk it out. We must close the ______say show gap between what we we believe and what our actions ______we believe. ______What void needs to be hurdled in your life? Is it between believing God is worthy of extravagant worship and then singing, raising PRAY: a hand, or jumping for joy? Or between believing prayer works because God is big and then actually praying big prayers so God “God, help me not to simply talk about having faith, but give can work? Is it between knowing God provides and then truly me courage to take this leap to live out my faith. Please bring resting in Him? Let’s not simply say we have faith. Let’s live lives me someone who can encourage me in this area. In the name of of faith. –Aaron Patches Jesus, Amen.” DAY 10 REFLECT: Recall a time when God asked you to do something bold without seeing what came next. How did you respond? What did you By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out learn from that experience? to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. APPLY: Hebrews 11:8 Think about a current situation where God is asking you to do as Abraham did and go, “not knowing where [you are] going.” If we’re being honest, most of us do not like walking into the Throw away your mental list of pros and cons and determine in unknown. New things can be scary enough even when we do your heart to simply obey. know where we’re headed. But from the very beginning of time, God has asked people to take bold steps of faith, not always understanding or knowing what comes next. It’s this kind of JOURNAL: radical obedience that brings the Lord great pleasure. God meets the needs on the other side of our obedience. Write Many years ago, I felt the Lord prompting me to leave my teaching down what that means to you as you ponder the above situation. job. I prayed, hesitated, and stalled because I couldn’t see down What needs does He promise to supply for you? the road. One day the Lord gave me a vision of a trapeze artist. ______He showed me how they need to let go of one swing before they can grab on to the next, and for a split second, they are ______suspended in midair. ______This word picture gave me such peace. I understood what He ______meant. I would have to let go of my job without knowing what came next, and there would be a moment in between where I ______had nothing to cling to. He assured me that the next swing would ______be perfectly timed, that He wouldn’t let me fall. ______In due time, the next job came my way. It was nothing I would have sought out on my own, but it was the perfect fit for that season. Just like Abraham, who had to leave behind the land, the PRAY: people, and the culture that were familiar to him, sometimes we, too, are called to step out in faith. But God’s ways are perfect, “God, please give me the faith and trust I need to obey You in all and when we learn to trust Him, fear is quickly replaced with things. Help me to trust that You know what comes next, even courage and trust. –Renee Groff when I don’t, and that You will meet all my needs as I step out in faith. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 11 REFLECT: Think about a time you watched someone do what God called them to do, even though it seemed crazy at the time. Did you By faith the walls of Jericho fell down doubt they had heard clearly from the Lord? How did He reward after they had been encircled for seven days. their faith? Hebrews 11:30 APPLY:

The kind of faith that gets you to do what appears illogical has God will sometimes ask us to do things that defy logic, but they no formula other than to trust the Lord. He did not ask me to will never defy His word. How can knowing this be helpful next walk around the walls of a city, but He did prompt me to start a time you are the one He calls? construction business during a slow economy when others may have said it was not good timing. He also asked us to sell our home and move our family and business to another county to JOURNAL: help plant a church, not knowing the outcome. But because He said it, I knew I could trust Him. To encourage your faith, make a list of Bible characters, such as Noah, who God called to do bold things that seemed foolish to Years later, when He asked me to lay down the business while other people. Reflect on this list next time God calls you to do it was prospering and go work for someone else, I could obey something that seems to defy logic. because I trusted that He knew what was best for us. ______If you are looking for a simple formula to get this kind of faith, ______there really isn’t one. It’s about keeping your eyes on Him and ______your ears tuned toward hearing His voice. And when He asks you ______to do something that doesn’t make sense in the natural, you can ______use your past experiences to remind you that He is trustworthy. He didn’t forget His next move, and you can obey while not ______knowing what comes next. Such experiences build our faith over ______time. ______Eventually, when God asks you to take bold steps of faith, it won’t even seem strange to you. You can learn to respond by saying, “This is what He said, and therefore, this is what we will PRAY: do.” –Gary Groff “Heavenly Father, help me to trust You and value what You say above the opinions of people. Give me courage to follow You no matter the cost and to trust that You know what You are doing, no matter what. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” Faith changes the way we see things. We can feel our emotions, but they don’t get to dictate what we think or how we respond. Rather than walking in fear or hopelessness, we can begin to FAITH experience peace and expectation. Faith believes that something good is right around the corner, ANTICIPATES. and therefore, it keeps going with confidence that God can and will show up. When we begin to live this way, our outlook shifts into one of hope, because we are firmly convinced that God is who He says He is and that He will do what He says He will do.

When unbelief is removed from the equation, the journey gets a whole lot more exciting! DAY 12 REFLECT: What occupies your thoughts and maybe even keeps you up at night? In what area(s) of your life are you sensing the need for Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the the miraculous? Is it a physical need? An emotional need? How church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the about financial? name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. APPLY: And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. James 5:14–15 Who could you invite and welcome into your place of need? If someone comes to mind, reach out to them. If not, ask the Lord to send someone your way. This passage reveals at least three things to me. First, God never intended for Christ-followers to suffer alone. He doesn’t want us to just pray for ourselves in private without ever revealing our JOURNAL: needs to others. Second, God intends for the spiritual leaders of a church to be ready and willing to pray together for the As you were reflecting (above), write down the specific things struggling people in their congregations. Third, James clearly in your life that need the divine touch of God upon them. Most places the initiative on the person in need: “let him call.” likely they are the places that need the involvement of others and the power of agreement. I also love the concept of spiritual leaders laying hands on people ______in need who have requested prayer. It introduces the power of agreement which Jesus touted in Matthew 18:19. It also creates ______a larger space for the gifts of healing to operate (see 1 Cor. 12:9). ______And then there’s the use of anointing oil. Theologians have ______debated the meaning and significance of this practice for centuries, but it’s hard to ignore the fact that anointing with oil is ______a symbolic gesture indicating the person, presence, and work of ______by the Holy Spirit. The gifts are given Him, so it’s only fitting that ______we welcome Him into the picture when seeking the miraculous ______intervention of God.

Let’s not overly complicate the matter. It’s often the case that we PRAY: have not because we ask not (see James 4:2–3). Invite others into your place of need and watch what God does! –Steve Sabol “Father, give me courage and humility to seek out the prayers and faith of others as I struggle with life’s most pressing needs. I believe You often honor and come through for those who agree together for the miraculous. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 13 REFLECT: Recall a time when God answered one of your prayers after a very long wait. How did you keep yourself from getting discouraged O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice; or giving up? How did that experience impact your view of God’s in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. faithfulness? Psalm 5:3 APPLY:

When our children were little, we lived right along our town’s Think of something you’ve been praying about for a long time. annual parade route. This was a big deal to our kids, and they Imagine yourself like a child, sitting on the edge of the curb, looked forward to it all year long. On parade night, they perched leaning forward and peering into the distance. Now pray again themselves along the edge of the sidewalk with their cousins, from that perspective! bags ready to fill with candy, and watched expectantly down the road for the parade to come their way. Even though we lived halfway along the parade route, they wiggled with excitement JOURNAL: and anticipation over what they knew was coming. They never even thought to question it. Make a list of ongoing requests that seem to test your faith in God’s ability to listen and answer. Resolve to continue praying The above verse carries a similar connotation for us. It literally with expectation and to not give up until you see breakthrough. means we are to pray and then lean forward and peer into the ______distance. Just like my children waited with joy and expectation, so we, too, can have that same kind of heart posture when it ______comes to trusting the Lord to answer our prayers. ______Our tendency, however, is to fidget with impatience, question ______if God heard our prayer, and then doubt whether He will even answer. Just recently, I found myself praying through a list of ______requests that I’ve been repeating for a very long time. Sometimes ______I get discouraged. Sometimes I waver. Sometimes I’d like to ______pray about something new! But this verse shows us there is a ______different way to pray, one that will keep us from giving up or growing weary. I encourage you to lean forward with a heart of expectation and peer into the distance as you await your answer. PRAY: He never disappoints! –Renee Groff “God, today I choose to trust You to hear and answer my prayers. I confess my doubt and fear, and I ask You to give me a childlike heart of expectation. Give me faith to keeping asking and believing. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 14 REFLECT: In what current situations in your life have you struggled to see any good? How can you shift your perspective in those areas to I believe that I shall look upon see them as God does? the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living! Psalm 27:13 APPLY:

Spend time imagining God’s goodness in every situation in your One of my all-time favorite movies is Pollyanna. It is a story about life. Daydream of all the possibilities of how our Father can turn an orphan girl whose parents were missionaries who died while something unpleasant into a masterpiece. serving on the mission field. She loved to play a game called “The Glad Game.” It was a challenge she would give to herself and those around her to find the good in every circumstance. Initially, JOURNAL: some found her ability to find good in every situation very annoying. But eventually, she won them over with her insistence I dare you to play “The Joy of the Lord Game.” Try it for a week that we can find joy even in difficult times. She even won over a and see how easy it becomes to expect God’s goodness in every cantankerous old hermit and a woman so obsessed with dying situation. Write down what you observe. that she had forgotten how to live. ______The first person we need to convince to expect the goodness ______of the Lord is ourselves. What if we played “The Joy of the Lord ______Game” using the same approach that Pollyanna did in her game? ______We would be more inclined to expect to see the good that God ______will bring through our trials and tribulations. I wonder how our town, our workplace, our families, and our church would be ______transformed if we expected to see God’s goodness in everything ______that surrounds us. ______Some might get annoyed if we refuse to join in on their pity party, but deep down, people want hope for the present and the future. And our hope is more than just positive talk; it is a confidence in PRAY: the assurances of God’s word that the best is yet to come! Hold out for the best! –Kim Burris “Lord, give me perseverance to see how You work out everything for the good of those who love You and are called according to Your purpose. Help me to guard my mouth from complaining, and give me strength to believe and expect Your goodness. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 15 REFLECT: Recall an area where you have changed a lot, with God’s help, during the past few years of your life. How did God bring about those changes, and how can this encourage you with other areas And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you in which you need His help? will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. Philippians 1:6 APPLY:

When we first purchased our house, the previous owners had Sometimes we have an idea of what needs to change, and painted the deck John Deere green. Yes, you read that right. sometimes God sees something completely different than we It is beyond my comprehension why someone would think that do. Ask Him what part of your heart or mind He would like to was a good color for a deck, but this is what we inherited by transform. default. Within the first year, we repainted everything a dark chocolate brown, but because of that original hideous coat of JOURNAL: paint underneath, it has not borne up very well under the snow and sun. This summer we decided to tackle the dreaded, horrible Jot down your thoughts about an area where God is at work in job of removing all the previous layers of paint and starting from your life, but you know you have not yet reached the goal. How scratch. has God brought you to this point? What are you believing He will yet do? Currently, some areas of the deck have been stripped and others ______have not. Peelings of paint are littered here and there around the deck. Scrapers, brooms, and garbage bags now occupy ______the space—and sometimes two weary adults scraping away in ______silence. It is a hot mess. Absolutely nothing about this process is ______fun. At all. The only joy we find is the hope that in a few weeks it ______will be finished, and we will be able to set up our deck furniture and enjoy it. ______God promises that He, too, is going to continue the work He ______started in us. Sometimes we get discouraged by the messy process, the hard work, and the seemingly endless journey to ______become the people He, and we, want us to be. I take great comfort in the fact that He will not quit, that each step brings PRAY: me closer to being like Him, and that someday His work will be completed when I meet Him face-to-face. So keep going, friends. “God, I acknowledge that some areas of my life need to change. Someday your original coat of paint will no longer be visible! I ask You to help me see myself through Your eyes, to persevere –Renee Groff during the messy process, and to believe that You will transform me. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 16 REFLECT: What did you want to be when you grew up? What do you think God dreams about when He thinks about your life? What has He I can do all things through him who strengthens me. called you to be and do? Philippians 4:13 APPLY:

All children reach a particular stage where they begin saying, As you read the Bible, practice saying “Yes” to God based on “I can do it all by myself.” The help of Mom and Dad becomes what you’re reading. “Yes, I can believe for healing. Yes, God can anathema to the independence they long to exert over their little conquer the enemies I face. Yes, I can fulfill my destiny in God.” lives. But kids aren’t great at judging their own capabilities, so

Mom and Dad have to step in, no matter how loudly the little one may protest. JOURNAL:

We, too, don’t know what we’re truly capable of. We have a What are some areas of your life where doubt and unbelief have heavenly Father who created us and called us for a purpose. crept in? Allow God to show you, and pray for those things to be Ephesians 2 tells us that He has prepared good works for us, broken off in Jesus’ name. beforehand, to walk in. And sometimes—most of the time—our ______will for our lives doesn’t line up with His until we take time to submit it to Him. ______God’s ways are bigger, better, and higher. He has plans to prosper ______and not to harm; He gives us a hope and a future. And He is ______faithful to finish the work He’s started in the life of every believer. ______So when God begins to give you glimpses of what He’s calling ______you to next, will you believe Him? Will you take Him at His word? ______Will you allow Him to qualify you where you feel disqualified? Will ______you let Him be your “enough” when you simply aren’t? When the dream feels dead, will you let the Rock of Ages roll the stone off that grave? PRAY:

Nothing is too big for our God. All that He’s called you to is “Jesus, thank You for Your calling and purpose on my life. I within reach. You can do it all by His power working within you. believe You empower me to do all that You’ve destined for me. –Mark Bilik Stir my faith to believe what You say about me and my future. Thank You for loving me. Align my heart with Yours. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” The enemy of our souls is threatened by our faith. He will do whatever it takes to try to discourage or dissuade us. It is imperative that we press through those seasons and do not allow FAITH him to influence our hearts, our minds, or our actions. Spiritual warfare may come our way, but we don’t have to let it win. When we study the life of Jesus, we see that He endured PERSEVERES. earthly difficulties, and we can trust that He has empowered us to do the same.

When we wield the shield of faith, it deflects the assault of the enemy and helps us to stand firm. Don’t give up! You can keep fighting and trust that God sees and rewards the one who continues to walk in faith no matter what. DAY 17 REFLECT: Who do you pattern your life after, or who do you secretly wish to be like? Now, ask yourself this hard question: “Can I see Jesus in …looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, them?” If you can confidently answer “Yes,” then they may well who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, be a worthy pattern to follow. If the answer is “No,” then it’s time despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand to reconsider. of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:2 APPLY:

Come up with some SMART goals in this area of becoming more Patterns are important. When assembling something out of a like Jesus. What are SMART goals? SMART is an acronym that box full of dozens of pieces, I usually look at the picture of the stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time- finished product on the box lid and use it as a guide. My bride based. Nancy does the same thing when she is tackling a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. Having a pattern to follow makes the job easier. JOURNAL: However, when it comes to our faith-walk and becoming all that we are created to be, choosing the right pattern is crucial. Patterning As you are reflecting, write down some specific ways that you ourselves after the wrong example can be disappointing at best want to become more like Jesus. Make it SMART. and devastating at worst. That’s why Jesus will always be the best ______example for a Christ-follower. After all, He is “the founder and perfecter of our faith.” There is no better example after which to ______pattern our lives. Period. ______In Matthew 23, Jesus called out the Pharisees (the self-righteous, ______religious people of His day). He said that they may know a lot, but no one should follow their example because they ignored ______the really important parts of following God—like justice, mercy, ______share show and grace. The best way to the love of Jesus is to ______the love of Jesus. One of the best ways to share Jesus is to live ______like Him. We should strive to demonstrate His love for people by joyfully serving them. It’s that simple, and it’s that complicated. Jesus endured suffering with joy because He had confidence that PRAY: His Father had something better waiting for Him. Risk always precedes reward. Living like Jesus does indeed require risk, but “Father, help me to see and love people the way You do. Help me the rewards far outweigh those risks! So, let’s risk on! –Steve Sabol to choose servanthood over selfishness. Help me to demonstrate Your love to people by joyfully serving them. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 18 REFLECT: Are there areas where you’ve grown weary of doing good? Ask the Lord to reveal places where you’ve gotten discouraged and And let us not grow weary of doing good, lost your focus. for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9 APPLY:

Instead of focusing on the circumstances that make you weary of The sounds of yelling and swearing pelted the air as I sat outside doing good, ask God to strengthen your heart so you don’t give soaking in the fresh summer breeze. They were at it again. “You up. Ask Him for higher perspective and peace that He is at work, have to move out of the way of the f***ing lawnmower.” I sighed even if the breakthrough hasn’t yet come. Give Him praise when inwardly. Our neighbors had moved into the house next door a you reap the reward of persevering! few years ago, and they were a constant source of frustration every time they stepped outside. They didn’t just get angry at their kids; they screamed at their kids. JOURNAL:

I prayed under my breath, “God, I choose to speak blessing on Record an area where you are able to praise God for the reward them and not cursing. I ask You to change them and heal them of persevering. or remove them and give us amazing and godly neighbors.” It ______was a variation of the same prayer I had prayed over and over again the last few years. We were the “nice” neighbors who took ______them a plate of cookies when they moved in, allowed them to ______cross our property to get to the bus stop, and respected the ______neighborhood rules of not disturbing the peace. They, on the ______other hand, were loud and obnoxious, and they wreaked havoc with their boisterous lawn parties, peppered with expletives. ______Another year passed, the neighbors stayed, I prayed, and nothing ______changed. I continued to choose love, kindness, and respect ______toward them, and though I was discouraged at times, I didn’t give up believing God would change the situation. Then one Saturday morning, I looked outside to see a U-Haul truck backed into their PRAY: driveway. Unbeknownst to us, they had purchased a home in an adjoining town and were moving. I thanked God we had finally “Father, show me how to continue to walk in love and do good. seen breakthrough! God went above and beyond our prayers, Give me Your perspective and the strength to keep going and and friends from our church moved in next door. We now look not give up. Help me to persevere and not grow discouraged. In across the lawn and feel God’s peace and love permeating the Jesus’ name, Amen.” atmosphere! –Alicia Martin DAY 19 REFLECT: The shield of faith is a powerful tool for believers. In what ways have you used the shield of faith to extinguish the lies of the In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which enemy? In what areas do you need to grow in this? you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one. Ephesians 6:16 APPLY:

Ask God whether you are believing lies about any area of your A few years ago, our family walked through a difficult season of life, and then ask Him for His truth about that area. Take some loss, both personally and vocationally. In the months afterward, time to meditate on His truth, allowing it to become a shield of I found myself feeling hopeless and questioning my calling and faith for your heart and mind. vision for my life.

When I tried to dream about the future, I felt overwhelmed by JOURNAL: the disappointments of the past. I’d always been an optimistic and hopeful person, but now I felt afraid that the failure and Write down some lies you have believed about yourself or your disappointment of the past would also characterize my future. life, and then write down God’s truth. Commit to regularly Though God had clearly spoken to me about His plans for my life, declaring these truths over yourself. I was having a hard time believing what He’d said. ______The Bible tells us the devil is a liar (see John 8:44), and I believe ______lying is one of the primary strategies, or arrows, he uses against ______us. That’s certainly what happened to me. I began to listen to the ______lies of the enemy telling me that my future would turn out like my ______past, that it would be better to settle for mediocrity than to put my faith and trust in God’s promises. ______Then one day, God whispered to my heart. “You’ve been ______believing a lie,” He said. “I want you to believe My truth— ______nothing is impossible.” From that day forward, I went to war with that phrase, declaring over and over that with God nothing is impossible (see Matt. 19:26). And over time, this declaration of PRAY: faith became a shield for my mind, enabling me to persevere. I stopped believing the enemy’s lies about my future and found “Jesus, thank You for giving me the shield of faith to protect my the faith to dream with God again. –Amy Calkins mind from the lies of the enemy. Help me to be diligent to use it, so that I will stand firm in faith in Your truth. Please show me any areas where I am believing a lie, and then help me to see Your truth. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 20 REFLECT: Reflect on the way you think about promises. Have you experienced times when someone promised you something and No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, then did not keep his or her word? Have you allowed this to shift but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully the way you view God? convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Romans 4:20–21 APPLY:

Think of one promise that you know God has made to you. Time and time again, I have felt that my faith was too small. If This could be a promise in scripture or one He has made to you you’re anything like me, you have prayed like the father of the personally. Reflect on the result of Abraham’s unwavering faith. boy with the unclean spirit, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). I have felt like I have indeed wavered in my faith, especially when God’s promises seemed like they were delayed. JOURNAL:

When I was 19 years old, I started a journey with God of praying As you reflect on God’s good promises to you, what can you do and believing for my future husband. I had just ended a bad to continue to believe in His promises and stay the course? List relationship and felt led to pray that God would not allow any ways you can stand firm and not waver in your faith. man to ask me out who was not my future husband. As with many ______promises I have seen come to fruition in my life, the journey came with lots of waiting, disappointments, doubts, and tears. Just like ______Abraham, I have learned that God’s promises do not come on my ______timeline. ______Right before God’s promise of a husband came to pass, I had my hardest time of the nine years of waiting. I was close to giving up ______when I felt that God led me to do a 40-day fast. Near the end of ______my fast, I met my future husband, the man I had prayed for and ______believed would come. Earlier that year, someone had prophesied ______over me that I would not remember the pain of this moment of waiting. How true that was when I married the first man who asked me out after nine years. I was so overjoyed that I did not PRAY: give up the good fight of faith for something (or someone) else. –Brittany Patches “God, I believe You are who You say You are, and I thank You that You do not lie or break Your promises. I believe Your promises will come to pass. Please help the areas of my heart that have unbelief. I trust You. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” DAY 21 REFLECT: Make a mental list of situations or seasons that felt hard, but you endured, by the grace of God. How did you feel when those I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, times came to an end? I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7 APPLY:

Where are you currently struggling to fight the good fight and Although I’ve never run a marathon, at key moments in my life I finish the race? How can keeping the end in mind help you also have completed something so monumental that I felt I deserved keep your faith? a trophy or medal to mark my accomplishment.

As a teacher, I always felt this way on the last day of school, JOURNAL: especially in years when I dealt with a particularly challenging group of students. I felt a similar sense of validation after giving Imagine how you might feel on the day when you cross the finish birth to each of my children, like I had been ushered into a whole line and your earthly race is over. How might you feel as you new world and suddenly knew things I hadn’t known before. view the challenges you endured to get there? Allow yourself to Likewise, each time we finish renovating a new room in our home, dream about the happy ending that awaits you! I walk around in awe looking at the finished product, fully aware ______of what it took to get to that point. ______I cannot imagine how I will feel when I have finished running ______this earthly race. I’d be lying if I didn’t say that some seasons ______have been hard, but persevering with the Lord’s help, knowing ______it will be worth it when I cross the finish line, is also exhilarating. Sometimes it’s a fight. Sometimes it’s a race. Always, it’s about ______keeping our faith. ______The morning that my paternal grandma died, the Lord gave me a ______vision of her walking up a hill toward Heaven. Although I couldn’t see their faces, I heard a crowd waiting expectantly for her, and one voice called out, “Oh, look! Here comes Martha!” Grandma PRAY: hobbled up that big hill with a huge smile on her face. She knew that, having run her race well, her reward awaited her. Keep the “God, help me to keep eternity in mind at all times, to face end in mind next time the journey feels long. I promise it will be challenges and trials with the promise of Your presence here on worth it. –Renee Groff earth and the reward of Your goodness in Heaven. I long to see Your face. In the name of Jesus, Amen.” Going Deeper FAITH ACTS. Scripture: Genesis 6:5–7:24 Additional scripture readings & discussion questions • What were some of the personal challenges Noah may for couples, families, or small groups have faced while building the ark? • How do you think he overcame any doubts that crossed These scriptures and discussion questions have been compiled his mind? for those who want to join with others to grow deeper in their • Share a story of a time when God asked you to do faith journey. Gather with friends, connect with your spouse, or something that did not make sense to other people. How include your children as you explore stories of giants of the faith did you overcome your fear of the opinions of others? and learn from their examples. FAITH ANTICIPATES.

FAITH GROWS. Scripture: 1 Samuel 17:1–51 • Think about how Goliath taunted the Israelites. Why are Scripture: Judges 6:11–7:23 we so easily influenced by our enemies? • How did Gideon view himself at the beginning of this • How did David’s experiences with the lion and the bear story? prepare him to face Goliath? How can your past prepare • How does Gideon change from verse 6:15 to 7:15? To you for today? what do you attribute these changes? • David anticipates a win in verses 45–47. How can you • Where do you see a need for an increase of faith in your develop this kind of expectation in your own battles? own life, and how would this change the way you face circumstances? FAITH PERSEVERES.

FAITH BELIEVES. Scripture: Daniel 3:1–30 • What allowed Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to Scripture: Romans 4:1–25 remain steadfast under pressure? • Verse 3 says, “Abraham believed God…” How is this • These men speak with great faith in God’s presence and different from believing in God? power in verses 17–18. How can you develop this kind of • How do our good works get in the way of this kind of faith without knowing the outcome? faith? • Where are you being tempted to bow to an enemy or • Abraham did not allow what He saw in the natural to idol in your life, and how can this story encourage you to weaken his faith for the supernatural. Where do you need stand firm in your faith? to make this shift in your own life? believe they will see results. This is faith!

Family Devotions Day 9: Hopefully your child will be able to see something sprouting! Discuss the visible changes you see with the plant; Ideas for families with young children then discuss how, as our faith grows, we should be able to see changes in our own lives. Use Galatians 5:22–23 to talk about the Encouraging your children to grow in their faith will make a fruit of the Spirit. significant difference as they become teenagers and, someday, adults. While it is important to model a life of faith through Day 11: The plant may not look exactly like the picture on the prayer and commitment to God and His word, you can also use seed packet yet, but we can trust God’s plan for the seed and practical tools to help your children increase in faith. We hope that it will look exactly as He intended. Read Philippians 1:6. Help these suggestions will be beneficial as you pursue Unshakeable them apply this to their own lives. Faith as a family during the next 21 days. Day 13: Read and discuss the Parable of the Sower in Matthew Before you begin this book, we recommend that you purchase a 13:1–8, 18–23. Have your child act out the four types of soil and packet or two of seeds, specifically a fast-growing species such what happens to the seeds that are planted. as marigolds, zinnias, lettuce, mustard greens, or baby spinach. You will need potting soil and containers for planting your seeds. Day 15: Make a list of other small but important things (e.g., small You can purchase small biodegradable seed pots at your local animals, small words, small foods). Discuss the potential of even a greenhouse or get creative with items you already have at home, small amount of faith. such as eggs cartons or paper cups. Day 17: Pour a few leftover seeds into each child’s hand. Talk You don’t have to be a master gardener to learn along with your about why these seeds did not grow and the other ones did. children. Feel free to adapt the following plan as needed, but Why do some people grow in their faith and others do not? use these suggestions to help grow your plants, and your faith, together! Day 19: Talk about how even though the plant may look like the picture on the seed packet, it must continue to receive ongoing Day 1: Plant your seeds as a family. Read and discuss the Parable light and sun to maintain healthy growth. Explain how this applies of the Mustard Seed in Matthew 13:31–32. to spiritual growth and our need for a relationship with Jesus.

Day 3: Put your plants in a sunny location. Talk about how just as Day 21: Discuss how, as plants grow, they produce seeds that can the seeds need sunlight to grow, so we, too, need God’s word to grow into even more plants. Talk about how we can help to plant help us grow in our faith. seeds in others!

Day 5: Water your seeds. Help your child understand the parallel –Danielle Yingst & Renee Groff between watering plants in faith that they will grow and praying in faith that God will hear and answer our prayers.

Day 7: Discuss how even though they may not be seeing much progress, they need to continue to care for their plants and