“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”

Missions

In addition to the The Twelve, this command is for us as well. Important to note, completing Christ’s mission does not necessitate a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Over the course of a month we have highlighted large and small, global and local, and Gospel-proclaiming and Gospel-serving organizations. It is my prayer that you have been challenged and inspired to join in The Great Commission from right where you are.

Let’s re-cap what we’ve read this month.

Missions Right Where You Are Re-Cap

What acts of humble service is God calling you to today?

In writing, Small Acts of Humble Service, Ali reminded us of Jesus’ servant heart and how that inspires her to serve others. By cutting shelf liner for an organization who helps hurting girls, she writes, “I provided a small, menial task so that others in the ministry would be free to focus intently on doing the work of healing, teaching, and ministering.” 

How is God leading you to use your gifts and talents for Him?

Through her God-given talents, love for God’s Word, and theater; Jaime shares in her post, The Word That Returns, about her participation in Piercing Word. This organization proclaims God’s Word in compelling ways through theatrical performance. I love what Jaime shares, “Though I wasn’t always aware of how He would use me and my enthusiasm for the arts, I realize now He was equipping me to be a part of sharing a Story the world is desperate to hear.”

Are there “helpers” in your life who need your support?

Sometimes we aren’t qualified to help where we are called. Lisa encourages us to “help the helpers” in her post, Not Gifted for That Ministry? Help the Helpers Who Are. Lisa and her husband volunteer with a disaster response group, PAR (Prepare and Respond). Lisa learned that “When we expand our idea of how we can work in a ministry, God may surprise us with opportunities we didn’t see coming.” She adds, “Whether in front or behind the scenes, the outcome is the same: the good news is spread and the love of God is felt.”

Who do you know who needs God’s Word?

As I share in the post, Challenge and Opportunity: Bibles For the Bibleless, God uses our gifts and talents for His purposes. From my home-base in Orlando, FL, I get to use my gift of teaching at the USA Headquarters of Wycliffe Bible Translators to train new missionary kids and play a small role in ending Bible poverty around the world. Interestingly, God uses my love for His Word in more ways than one.  I am privileged to participate in the “God. Plan. Move.” mission of Hello Mornings, which I write about in Digital Pathway to the Gospel. Serving in these two capacities God has given me a front row seat to watch Him work.

Who are “the nations” in your neighborhood?

Lastly, Jennifer reminds us that “the nations” are all around us in our neighborhoods and towns. Among other ministry, she and her husband support Bridges International, that supports, encourages, and shows Christ’s love to international students on college campuses. In her post, International Ministry: Right Here, she challenges us to “look at your own community, you may also see that the nations are coming to our doorstep. May we share the Good News and the Grace of Christ while they’re here, for the Church is comprised of every nation.

A Blessing as You “Go”

When Jesus commissioned His disciples to share the Gospel, He left them with a blessing. Re-read the Great Commission with this blessing:

“Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”   Matthew 28:19-20

Yes! When we “go,” Jesus’ power and presence goes with us— always.

Thank You

Thank you for joining us this month. Have you learned something, thought a new thought, or have questions about the organizations we’ve highlighted this month? If so, let us know in the comments.

The post Series Re-Cap: Missions Right Where You Are appeared first on Do Not Depart.

I am looking at my calendar today and see February staring back at me already… right there at the end of the week. How is this possible?

It is a whirlwind season of life here with our amazing teens, and I know some day I will look back at it it with such fondness. My current reality is racing from one activity to the next, even one state to the next, as my homeschooled kids fill their schedules with classes, theater, piano, dance, hockey, and college visits. Full disclosure: I still have Christmas decorations needing to be put in the garage!

So trust me when I tell you, if I don’t make a plan for things that are important to me, they just don’t happen. That’s what this month is all about, right? Being intentional.

And crazy as it may sound, I HAVE to be intentional about spending time in God’s Word. How hard is it really? It’s just sitting down and reading the Bible, right? With a life chock full of distractions, without being intentional it can be surprisingly hard!

The tyranny of the urgent can crowd out this important piece of my day. It falls into the “important but not urgent” category of Eisenhower’s principal. When I let the urgent rule my days (and that is so easy!) all those non-urgent, but important, things fall aside. I can’t let that happen.

Why Time in the Bible?

Why should we read the Bible itself? Why not just read scholars’ understanding, or listen to Christian podcasts?

While learning through the perspective of teachers has great value, because God’s Word is personal it is important to read and understand it for yourself as well.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

When you are intentional about spending time reading Scripture, you will come to know who God is better. You will also see yourself more clearly. You will find guidance for real life situations that face you today.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3: 16-17

Understanding Yourself

When life is super busy but you want to grow, you have to be honest. Being truthful with yourself about how you tick, what your learning style is, and what the rhythms of your day look like, is critical to creating a plan that you will follow.

What is your learning style?

• Visual – Reading may be your best choice
• Auditory – An audio Bible might be better retained
• Kinesthetic – You may benefit from being active, maybe walking or jogging, while you listen to an audio Bible

When do you have time?

• Early morning – Can you get up 10 minutes earlier and have some quiet time to yourself?
• During your commute – Using travel time for listening to the Bible (or reading if you take public transportation) can be a simple way to fit it in.
• While doing chores – Listening to God’s Word while I mop makes the time fly by!
• When you climb in bed at night – If you have the habit of reading in bed before sleeping, how about you pick up your Bible for a few minutes before that novel you are itching to read?

There is no scenario in which you can’t find find a way to fit some time in the Word into your day. You may just have to get creative!

What Does That Time Look Like?

There are many ways to grow with God through His Word. None is better than the other, and all are valuable to explore at some point in your journey.

• Read straight through the Bible from beginning to end – I use the Bible app to help me keep track of where I am.
• Study a topic – Is there a topic God is impressing on you? Look up all the verses pertaining to that topic. You can use a concordance, or even the Internet!
• Study a section/chapter/book in depth – Hanging out in one place in the Bible for an extended period of time can help you plumb the depths of a passage in a way that a quick reading can’t. You can do this on your own or using a formal Bible study guide.
• Use different versions – Every time I start at the beginning of the Bible again, I change the version I am reading. I find this helps the text stay fresh and sometimes highlights things I might not have noticed in other versions. My caveat to this is that some versions are less textually reliable. When I am reading a version that is more interpretation-heavy I will cross-reference with a more reliable version when I come to an unexpected passage, so I am sure I am understanding it correctly.

If You Are Struggling

Try as you might, you just can’t develop the habit? Here are some suggestions:

• Try something different – A different time, a different version of the Bible, a different study, a different way of consuming (switch from reading to audio or vice versa).
• Find a mentor – Look for someone further along the journey who can help guide you.
• Find accountability – Do you have a friend who wants to develop a habit? Help each other with accountability.
• Find a group – Look for a Bible study group. Sometimes knowing you will be meeting with people gives you a deadline that helps motivate you.

God Wants YOU

Friends, this is not about following rules, or about checking off a to-do list. No legalism please! Time in God’s Word is about growing in a relationship.

“I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” John‬ ‭15:5‬

You start where you are. I did not expect my wild-child two year old to sit with me for thirty minutes and have a theological discussion. Now, at thirteen, he will happily sit for hours and discuss important topics with me. Your heavenly Father knows where you are in your journey. He loves you and wants to spend time with you where you are today.

There are no standards on how to do it “right.” Find a way to be intentional about spending time with God in His Word, in a way that works for your personality and your time. The fruit of your faithfulness will be joy!

“If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John‬ ‭15:10-11‬

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Sometimes, we think we’ll know a bit how time will go. We get used to our routines, the mundane, the day-in-and-day-out.

And then something comes along that shakes things up.

This month, school has started back up for many of us. We had an solar eclipse that likely disrupted the normalcy of the day. The Dallas Texas area experienced an earthquake. And then Hurricane Harvey hit the Texas gulf coast with unrelenting force. Tornadoes and flooding have caused so many people to lose so much.

When you add in the stresses of life that aren’t related to natural disasters– sick children, caring for family members, injuries, grief and loss… well, life is tough.

When we planned our series here at DND this month, we didn’t know that all these things would happen. But I look back at our review of words, shalom (peace), yada (to know), and tiqvah (hope), and I’m amazed! All three of those words fit “the theme” of the month so perfectly. God wants us to have peace and hope as we know Him (and He knows us).

So whatever you’re facing, I pray that you’ll rest in Him. He is trustworthy and faithful!

Series Recap

– This month, I wrote about shalom and pursuing God’s peace. “With God’s shalom we can have internal completeness even when our lives feel incomplete or broken. We are offered welfare when we feel the stinging hurts of life. And while our struggles are real, we are still offered beautiful tranquility and contentment of spirit, by our truest Friend.”

– Lisa taught us about yada, knowing God and being known by Him. “Being known by God and knowing God are what we are made for, how we are designed. It opens us up to receiving all the grace He longs to give us. Instead of being dangerous, knowing God allows us to live with more security, more satisfaction, more hope. Truly knowing and experiencing God is our open invitation to the greatest freedom imaginable.”

– Patti shared the word tiqvah with us and told us how it means both “expectation” and “cord.” She said, “When we are in the middle of a terrifying storm, whether it is a physical storm like Harvey, or a figurative storm, what we want more than anything—what we desperately need—is hope.How powerful that image is—my hope, or expectation, in the Lord is as solid as a cord binding me to Him. A cord that rescues me.”

Also This Month

We had two additional posts this month.

In our Let the Children Come monthly feature, Patti gave us back to school Scripture printable cards to tuck into a lunchbox or even mail to your college student. Use these cards to encourage your child with the Word of God!

This month we had Jaime Hilton share with us Bible study tips that she’s learned from her work in the theater. This was a great post full of new ways to gain perspective while we study! She tells us, “When I view Scripture as the source material for building a character, like I would a script, I find myself remembering that they were real people in a real place and time. It helps me to ask better questions as I study God’s Word and use my imagination to fill in the details.”

We pray that our words helped point you to peace and hope in the knowledge of our mighty God!

Be blessed, friends! (We continue to pray the Texas gulf coast. We hope you’ll join us!)

The post Notable Hebrew Words of the Old Testament – Series Wrap Up appeared first on Do Not Depart.

“I know that the Lord has given you the land,… ¹⁰ For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt … ¹¹ And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the Lord your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath. (Joshua 2:9-11, emphasis mine)

How does a Canaanite woman make this fearless declaration of faith to her enemies? Rather than cower behind the walls like her fellow citizens, she chooses to change sides. Her faith moves her to action. She hides the spies, misleads the guards, and secures a promise to save her household from the coming destruction. It is a bold, almost presumptuous move.

Rahab’s story is one of my all-time favorites. Her conviction is inspiring and God’s love, compelling. How do we relate to this hero of faith, separated as we are by thousands of years of time, culture, language, and occupation? Could there be more to learn from the story than just the dry facts? In acting class, we learn to take a two-dimensional story and bring it to life. Flat characters from the page suddenly have breath, history, personality, and relationships. When I view Scripture as the source material for building a character, like I would a script, I find myself remembering that they were real people in a real place and time. It helps me to ask better questions as I study God’s Word and use my imagination to fill in the details.

Who are the main characters? Who are the basic supporting players? Are there extras in the scene (people who help establish the setting, but are not a part of the action)?

What is the main action or series of actions moving the story along (If the passage is long or involved, I might break up my study and focus on one character or event at a time)?

Where and when are they? This can be as detailed as you want. Archeology and history fascinate me so I can get lost on rabbit trails of discoveries. I like to learn about the ancient world. The more information you have about another culture or period, the richer your imaginings can become.

Why? What motivates the people to do and say what they do and say? Sometimes motives are spelled out (Jesus had compassion on them…Matthew 14:14) but not always. This brings us full circle: where did Rahab get her incredible faith?

Next, I cross reference the main character I am studying. Rahab’s life is better understood within the context of Hebrews 11:31, James 2:25, and Matthew 1:5, which names her as a great-great-great grandmother to the Messiah.

Using Joshua 2 as the scene, my next step would be to take the details from my research as a guide to create “the moment before”. This is what the actor imagines taking place off stage, before the scene that is shared with the audience.  I imagine what life may have been like for Rahab. Jericho was a center for worship of the moon goddess. Maybe Rahab had become disillusioned with a god whose power waxed and waned with the opinions of the people. Whatever it was, God had been working in her heart, preparing her for the day He would deliver her.

I won’t share my answers, because it’s not about right or wrong in this case. You might imagine Rahab to be thirty. Another might imagine her older. Both scenarios could be justified by the text. The point is to look deeply into her life and find Jesus. I imagine Rahab standing on her roof in the light of the moon, looking at the campfires of the Israelites, longing to be seen by the Creator, and I praise the Lord for calling out to this Gentile woman, for lifting her up and setting her free.

That’s something I relate to.

How can theater knowledge enhance your Bible study? Today’s guest post explains.
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Jaime Hilton is 1/5 of the Hilton Family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is the household manager and wife to Ray, the actor. Together they are in the trenches of parenting three children, ages 5-11. Thanks to homeschooling and her voracious reading habits she has her library card number memorized. In her (rare!) spare time she likes to write and work with local theater companies, directing and encouraging fellow artists to glorify God in every aspect of their work. Her favorite mornings start with a quiet cup of coffee and an inspiring book or blog. Her most passionate pursuit is studying the Word and discovering the stories within The Story. She blogs from time to time about life, homeschool, and theater at classichiltons.wordpress.com and is active on Facebook @jaime.hilton.

The post Bible Study Tips I’ve Learned from Theater appeared first on Do Not Depart.

Well that’s easy, I thought. I was grateful for the simplicity of my assignment. But how to serve the fruit? I knew that it was mostly intended as a snack for the small children who would be attending. It needed to be presented in such a way that they could just pick up a piece and eat it as they waited for the meal. Should I just bring a big jumble of cut fruit?

Then I saw this:

While turning cut fruit into a fun display for a party is admittedly trivial, the principle behind it is rooted in scripture. Like our Heavenly Father, we were designed to be creative and bring order.

Today we read the final passage in our “God the Creator” series:

And God blessed them. And God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth and subdue it, and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food. And to every beast of the earth and to every bird of the heavens and to everything that creeps on the earth, everything that has the breath of life, I have given every green plant for food.” And it was so. And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.

Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. And on the seventh day God finished his work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all his work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation.  (Genesis 1:28-2:3)

As people made in the image of God, we each, in various ways, reflect His creative nature in our daily lives. In Genesis 1:28, God tells His first people, Adam and Eve, to be fruitful, to multiply, to subdue the earth, and to have dominion over all living things. It is inherent to our purpose on this planet to creatively bring life and order to the world around us.

Life

God blesses us with the privilege of creating life. In families we are fruitful and bring new life into the world. Those called to foster and adopt children nurture new life in those whom they welcome into their families.

Humans cultivate and harvest food that sustains life. We care for animals that will feed and nourish our bodies. While you may not raise your own food, someone somewhere on planet Earth is raising it for you! Without it, you would not live.

Stewardship

“For God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33 a NIV)

We are called to be creative stewards, or caretakers, of the physical world. We weed our gardens. We mow our lawns. We create homes that are functional. While the physical world tends toward entropy (a gradual decline in order) it is our privilege and our responsibility to order and care for the world around us.

Our responsibility to be good stewards extends beyond the physical. As parents we steward our children by teaching them about God and His Word, and training them in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16). As people in our communities, when we see others’ needs, we seek ways to meet them. We are God’s ambassadors of peace.

Rest

Like God, in Whose image we were made, we are creators. You and I create life and order by attending to the smallest details of our lives.

And, like God, we rest. In fact your brain is often more creative when at rest. This is why you get fabulous ideas in the shower or while drifting off to sleep. Our creative undertakings are blessed by rest.

Rest is so important that God blessed the seventh day and made it holy. Thus began the Sabbath, the observance of which is the fourth commandment.

Thankful

On Thanksgiving morning, as I turn my big pile of cut fruit into a colorful turkey on a platter, I will be thinking of all the things for which I am thankful. That sweet smelling sticky fruit will remind me how much joy it brings me that my creative Heavenly Father made such a colorful and interesting world for us.

Our God of vivid sunsets and soft kittens created sounds that can be turned into glorious symphonies. He created chilly oceans for me to dip my toes in and dolphins to splash in them. He created my daughter’s twinkling brown eyes and my son’s dimples. He made a beautiful world with bright colors and smells and sounds, and gave you and me the privilege of playing with them all and making even more beauty.

And most wonderful of all, He gave us Jesus — my hope and your hope. Because of whom we can not only enjoy the beauty and creativity of this life, but can confidently look forward to eternity with God. May your heart be truly thankful today, rejoicing in the gifts before you and the promise to come!

For Further Study

1) Did anything change in God’s direction to humans after the fall? Compare Genesis 1:28 and Genesis 9:1. Why do you think these verses are different?
2) In what unique ways did God design you personally for creativity and bringing order?
3) Read Genesis 2:1-3 and Exodus 20:8-11. How do you observe rest in your week?

It is inherent to our purpose on this planet to creatively bring life and order. #GodTheCreator
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Our Current Contributors to DoNotDepart are:

Lisa Burgess  

Scripture Memory Director, Writer

Follow Lisa on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Patti Brown  

Encouragement Director, Writer

Follow Patti on Twitter. 

  Jaime Hilton

Jaime is 1/5 of the Hilton Family in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. She is the household manager and wife to Ray, the actor. Together they are in the trenches of parenting three children, ages 5-11 with another expected this summer. Thanks to homeschooling and her voracious reading habits she has her library card number memorized. In her (rare!) spare time she likes to write and work with local theater companies, directing and encouraging fellow artists to glorify God in every aspect of their work. Her favorite mornings start with a quiet cup of coffee and an inspiring book or blog. Her most passionate pursuit is studying the Word and discovering the stories within The Story. She blogs from time to time about life, homeschool, and theater at classichiltons.wordpress.com and is active on Facebook @jaime.hilton.   

  Ali Shaw

Owner and Manager, Facebook Community Leader, Writer

Ali Shaw can’t believe how blessed her life is! Wife of 20+ years. Momma to three daughters (two that she’s still homeschooling). She also serves on the HelloMornings Leadership Team… and is just in awe that God will use a regular girl like her! Woven with practical insight, her writing lovingly encourages other women to seek God daily through the reading and study of His Word. She’s learning to serve her Precious Lord more and more, day by day.  She blogs at Heartfelt Reflections.

Follow Ali on Facebook and Twitter.

Cheli Sigler

Writer

Cheli lives life and pursues her God-given purpose of teaching from her home base in sunny Orlando, FL.  Cheli and Matt, her husband of 20+ years, are blessed with two teenage daughters. She has experience as a professional educator and as children’s ministry team leader, trainer and writer. Currently, Cheli equips missionary kids for the mission field as a volunteer at Wycliffe Bible Translators, teaches a third grade Sunday School class, is a contributing writer for DoNotDepart.com and participates in Hello Mornings as a group leader, mentor, and writer.  Inviting people to sharpen their minds and soften their hearts for God’s purpose and the world, Cheli shares ideas and resources on her blog, Sharpen to Soften.

Follow Cheli on Twitter or on Instagram

Our Past Contributors:

Katie Orr

Founder

Jesus-lover. Pastor’s wife. Mommy of three. Grace-clinger. Truth-Speaker. Auburn fan. Longing to equip others to walk with the Lord for a lifetime. Co-author of Savoring Living Water: How to have an effective quiet timeand author of the Focused15 Bible studies. Creator of the Do Not Depart ministry.

Follow Katie on Twitter.

Lindsey Bell

Writer

Lindsey Bell is the author of the 10-week Bible study and devotional, Unbeaten, and of Searching for Sanity, a parenting devotional. She’s also a stay-at-home mother of two, minister’s wife, and avid reader. Lindsey writes weekly about faith and family at her website. Her passion is to inspire and encourage women through honest dialogue about her faith.

Follow Lindsey on Twitter and Facebook.

Kelli LaFram

Writer

Wife. Mom. Coffee drinker. Bible reader. Jesus believer. Plus a writer, painter, sign-maker, & furniture-flipper. That’s Kelli in a nutshell. Kelli has the authored And When You Pray: Understanding the Lord’s Prayer and Caught by Jesus: a 6-Week Study in the Gospel of Mark. You can find her letting her light shine at www.KelliLaFram.com, where she shares about all sorts of things – from painting to parenting to prayer – and how they all point back to His goodness, His grace, and His glory.

Follow Kelli on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Caroline Flory

Twitter Community Leader, Writer

A wife, mother, avid reader, homeschooling momma, and writer, Caroline is imperfect at all of those but thankful for every bit. Eager to grow with believers in deeper, more grace-focused faith, Caroline loves to study His Word, share it with others, and learn more and more how to fully lean on Him to live it out. You can find Caroline at her blog,Under God’s Mighty Hand.

 Follow Caroline on Twitter. 

Alyssa J Howard

Writer

Alyssa is a wife and stay-at-home mom to two young girls, and she is thrilled to be a part of her sixth Hello Mornings Bible study. She lives with her family in the Pacific Northwest where she loves to bake, run, drink coffee, and dance with her daughters. Alyssa first fell in love with writing while earning her Master of Arts degree in theological studies through Liberty Theological Seminary. In addition to her contributions at DoNotDepart, she is the author of Renewed and Transformed: A Study in What It Means to Live with the Mind of Christ, and she has been blogging about Jesus and the Christian life for the past four years at alyssajhoward.com. 

Follow Alyssa on Facebook

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