Find your Bible and place it somewhere visible that will remind you to read and pray at a set time over the next 28 days – by your bedside for bedtime, on the dining table for breakfast or dinner, etc.  Or, if you like to read the Bible online or on an app, create a reminder alarm on your phone, set to repeat each day at a good time for you, to remind you to put your training plan in motion.

What do you think it means to “share in the blessings” of the Gospel (NIV)?

At the end of this 28 days of Bible reading and prayer, what do you picture as transformed or better in your life and/or your faith? Write down this goal on a notecard, or place it somewhere you will see it every day. (For example, tape it to your mirror).

What stands in the way of keeping your focus on God and the way of Jesus?

For two minutes, share with God your hopes and dreams for yourself, for your family, for your church, and for the world.

What is one choice you can make this week or this month to pursue a spiritual goal or a deeper relationship with Jesus in your life?

Take a day to rest, pray, or catch up with your training plan!

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Where have you experienced practice making a difference for you or someone else?

Set a timer for 3 minutes. In that time, name (or write down) as many things you are grateful for as you can.

The Message Bible translation says, “Exercise daily in God.” What might it look like in your life to exercise daily for your spiritual health and wellness?

Spend four minutes in prayer. In the first minute, AWAIT God’s presence in silence, however it may come to you. In the second minute, ALLOW a sense of God’s presence to come …or not…and be what it is.  In the third minute, ACCEPT as a gift whatever comes or does not come to mind. In the final minute, ATTEND to what you are called to, letting your mind imagine the next step.

In what spiritual exercises or practices – prayer, Bible reading, Bible study, meditation, silence, singing, serving, gratitude, etc. – would you like to grow or improve? What is one step you could take to get started?

Take a day to rest, pray, or catch up with your training plan!

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How can practices that help you know God’s presence equip you to see the bumps, trials, and challenges of life as “occasions for joy” (NIV)?

As you walk, pay attention to your breathing and try the following “breath prayer”. As you breathe in, think or say, “Be still.” As you breathe out, think or say, “and know that I am God.” Repeat as you walk and breathe.

In a short time of prayer, share with God the things of the world that trouble you or cause suffering. Are there things that make you want to give up? How can your faith in God give you hope? How have you experienced “trouble producing endurance, endurance producing character, and character producing hope” in your own life or the life of others (NIV)?

In prayer, share with God the things that hold you back from fully experiencing and/or sharing the love of Jesus. What priorities, even good ones, are you tempted to put in front of time with Jesus in your life? What sins, or behaviors that hurt instead of help, do you have trouble releasing? What might God be encouraging you to do with these things with which you struggle? What priorities in your life could you put back in proper order?

When bad things happen, James says God isn’t tempting or testing you, but offering wisdom and strength to help you hang on. Where do you need strength and wisdom in your life right now? How can focusing on gifts from God give you hope?

Take a day to rest, pray, or catch up with your training plan!

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For Paul, weakness isn’t a cause for self-pity or a victim mentality, but an opportunity for faith. How can you keep a focus on victory in Christ even when, on the outside, you’re hurting, failing, or feeling defeated?

In prayer, share with God any of the ways in which you feel defeated. Share mistakes you’ve had a hard time letting go of, struggles that don’t seem to have an end, and anything that haunts you. After you’ve shared with God, read Romans 8:31-39.

What helps you to keep your trust in God and God’s goodness, not in yourself and your own abilities? What is the difference between victory in Christ and victory in this world?

After reading, close your eyes and imagine what heaven may be like. What does a life with no more tears look like? What does a place where no one lacks for food or water or the basics of life look like? What does life with God ever-present look like? How can you begin to live into that life in the here and now?

What is one thing you have learned about yourself and/or the practice of faith that you’d like to retain or continue, so that, in the words of Paul, you can finish the race and keep the faith (NIV)?

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