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…

IN THE BACKGROUND Wednesday Read: Esther 8 “1 That same day King Xerxes gave Queen Esther the estate of Haman,the enemy of the Jews. And Mordecai came into the presence of the king, for Esther had told how he was related to her. 2 The king took off his signet ring, which he had reclaimed from Haman, and…

IN THE BACKGROUND Tuesday Read: Esther 6 “1 That night the king could not sleep; so he ordered the book of the chronicles, the record of his reign, to be brought in and read to him. 2 It was found recorded there that Mordecai had exposed Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s officers who guarded the doorway, who…

IN THE BACKGROUND Monday Read: Esther 5:9-14 “Haman went out that day happy and in high spirits. But when he saw Mordecai at the king’s gate and observed that he neither rose nor showed fear in his presence, he was filled with rage against Mordecai. Nevertheless, Haman restrained himself and went home. Calling together his friends and Zeresh, his…

STRENGTH AND DELIVERANCE Friday Read: Esther 3:1-6 “After these events, King Xerxes honored Haman son of Hammedatha, the Agagite, elevating him and giving him a seat of honor higher than that of all the other nobles. All the royal officials at the king’s gate knelt down and paid honor to Haman, for the king had commanded this…