SPIRITUAL GROWTH Wednesday Read: Matthew 5:6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.” (NIV Matthew 5:6) Study:  What do you desire? For many of us, we desire stability for our families. We desire financial independence. We desire many things that are good, but we must never forget what…

SPIRITUAL GROWTH Tuesday Read: Colossians 1:9-10 “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please…

SPIRITUAL GROWTH Monday Read: 2 Peter 3:18 “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.” (NIV 2 Peter 3:18) Study: When we follow Christ, we grow in knowledge and grace. But what steps can we take to see this growth? Peter makes it…

SLOW DOWN Read: 1 Kings 19:11-14 “The Lord said, “Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the Lord was not…

SLOW DOWN Read: Mark 8:34 “Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. ” (NIV Mark 8:34) Study: To deny oneself is a tall task. It is not easy to deny your own well…

SLOW DOWN Read: Hebrews 11:6 “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” (NIV Hebrews 11:6) Study: Having faith is not always easy. When our lives are so busy and there are so many distractions,…

SLOW DOWN Read: Isaiah 55 “Come, all you who are thirsty,    come to the waters;and you who have no money,    come, buy and eat!Come, buy wine and milk    without money and without cost.2Why spend money on what is not bread,    and your labor on what does not satisfy?Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good,    and you will delight in…

SLOW DOWN Read: Luke 10:38-42 “As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him. She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be…

IN THE BACKGROUND Friday Below is a poem that was used to help the Children of Connect act out the Esther story. Read it as a recap  of what we have learned over the past 4 weeks. Behold the story of Esther, the Jew;Her parents are dead – now what will she do?‘Fear not,’ says…

IN THE BACKGROUND Thursday Read: Esther 9 “1 On the thirteenth day of the twelfth month, the month of Adar, the edict commanded by the king was to be carried out. On this day the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, but now the tables were turned and the Jews got the upper…