Thursday, September 29, 2022

October 2022: Cultivating Daily Thanks (Grace Notes)


Join me in a deliberate posture of thanksgiving—no matter the season.

Themes: Cultivating Daily Thanks

Memory Verse: Philippians 1:4 (CEV)


Description: October is about sowing seeds of gratitude in the everyday. From simple joys to spiritual gifts, Paul reminds us that there is always something to thank God for. This month you will look closely at the words he used to thank God for others, for salvation, for grace, and for the good work being done in believers' lives. Gratitude begins with noticing—and this month, you will practice seeing with thankful eyes.


Study the Christian Pursuits

Here is the Bible Reading Plans for Christian Pursuits based on 1 Timothy 6:11..  

This one is all of the Christian Pursuits in one plan.

Christian Pursuits

These are 6 monthly Bible Reading Plans, one for each pursuit. 

Download the Bible Reading Plan PDFs below.

Righteousness

Godliness

Faith

Love

Steadfastness

Gentleness

Here is a Scripture Verse Writing Sheet I created.

Download the Scripture Verse Writing Sheet created specifically for these plans, PDF here.


View the 1 Timothy Bible Reading Plan.

Visit this page.

Here are some other plans that can help you with the Christian Pursuits.

View the reading plans for "BE" A Mature Christian.

Visit this page.

View the reading plans for The Armor of God.

Visit this page.

View the reading plans for the Fruit of the Spirit.

Visit this page.

View the reading plans for Christian Living.

Visit this page.

View the reading plans for the traits of the Transformed Christian.

Visit this page.


Bible Reading Plan for 1 Timothy

Here is the Bible Reading Plan for the month of October I created.  It is 31 verses from the book of 1 Timothy.

Download the Bible Reading Plan PDF here.

Here is another Scripture Verse Writing Sheet I created.

Download the Scripture Verse Writing Sheet PDF here.

View the reading plans for Christian Pursuits.

Visit this page.

Visit this YouTube Playlist I created to help you with your study of 1 Timothy.

With Love, I Rise


This year's Bible Reading Plan is based on my Word of the Year: Resilience.

 

The Holy Grit Journey: A Bold Walk in Resilience and Faith is your reminder that this is more than a plan—it is a call to live steady in what God has strengthened.

This is a step in the Path of Holy Grit—a journey shaped by endurance, faithfulness, and grace.

This is not just a reading rhythm. It is a spiritual stance.
You do not break. You bend. You build.
Stay grounded. Stay gritty.
You are Resilient on Purpose.

 

Description

Love lifts, heals, and restores. This month helps you rise in the power of God’s love, not fear or striving.

 

Memory Verse

1 John 4:19


Here is the plan for October. (Link goes to a PDF.)

Here are the Bible Verse Writing Sheets for 2022.

Thursday, September 22, 2022

Pauline Epistle Rememberminder: Philippians




Joy is not a mood—it is your spiritual birthright. You can have it even when things are hard. Even when nothing changes.

Philippians 4:4 (NASB):

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” 

Wednesday, September 21, 2022

Affirmations about Thinking on These Things


Disciplined in Thought

Key Thought: My thoughts shape my life, so I choose to think like Christ.

Paul encourages believers in Philippians to be intentional about their thought life. In a world full of distractions, anxieties, and negativity, we are called to fix our minds on things that are true, pure, right, holy, friendly (lovable), proper (honorable), worthwhile, and praiseworthy. What we meditate on becomes our mindset, and our mindset shapes our character. Choosing godly thoughts is not passive—it is a powerful act of worship and spiritual discipline.

 

Affirmations:

1.   I think on what is true, not what fear or lies suggest.

2.   I fix my thoughts on purity and reject mental clutter.

3.   I align my mind with what is right in God’s eyes.

4.   I elevate my thinking to what is holy and set apart.

5.   I choose thoughts that reflect love, grace, and kindness.

6.   I honor what is proper and carry myself with integrity.

7.   I fill my mind with what has eternal value.

8.   I celebrate what is praiseworthy and speak life over my day.

9.   I discipline my thoughts and bring them under Christ’s authority.

10.                I create mental space for peace by meditating on God’s goodness.

  

Monday, September 19, 2022

When the Answer Is Wait: Resilient Faith in the Quiet Seasons

Trusting God in the Space Between the Promise and the Breakthrough

Waiting is one of the hardest parts of the Christian life. It tests your patience, your prayers, and your perspective.
You know God is good. You know He is faithful.
But when the doors stay closed, when the answers feel delayed, and when your soul keeps asking, “How long, Lord?”—you need more than patience.
You need resilient faith.

Not faith that demands answers.
But faith that waits well.

Be Resilient on Purpose.

 

Waiting Is Not Wasted

The Bible is full of waiting:

  • Noah waited for the rain… then for the waters to recede.
  • Abraham waited for a son for decades.
  • Joseph waited in a prison forgotten by men but not by God.
  • David waited years between anointing and the throne.
  • Jesus waited 30 years before public ministry.

Each of them was called. Loved. Chosen.
And each of them still had to wait.

Waiting is not punishment.
It is preparation.

 

What Makes Waiting So Hard?

  • It feels unproductive.
  • It exposes our lack of control.
  • It reveals whether we trust God or just His timing.
  • It challenges our identity when we tie worth to output or results.

But here is the truth:
God does deep work in hidden seasons.
And sometimes, the silence is sacred.

 

How to Wait with Holy Grit

1. Anchor Yourself in the Word

“I wait for the Lord, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope.” — Psalm 130:5

When nothing seems to change, do not let your emotions lead. Let Scripture be your steady ground. Keep reading, even if it feels quiet. That is how roots grow.

 

2. Practice Active Surrender

Waiting does not mean doing nothing. It means choosing trust over striving.

Ask yourself:

  • Am I still obeying?
  • Am I still worshiping?
  • Am I still listening?

Faith in the waiting looks like daily surrender with hopeful expectancy.

 

3. Resist the Urge to Rush Ahead

“Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” — Psalm 27:14

Some of our greatest regrets come from getting ahead of God.
Impatience can lead to detours.
Resilient faith chooses to stay aligned even when it hurts.

 

4. Speak Life Into the Delay

Do not let your thoughts spiral into despair. Declare what is still true.

Say out loud:

  • “God is working behind the scenes.”
  • “Delay is not denial.”
  • “I am being shaped in this season.”
  • “God’s timing is perfect.”

What you speak shapes how you wait.

 

5. Remember: You Are Not Forgotten

“Yet I am not forgotten by you, O God.” — Isaiah 49:15–16 (paraphrased)

You may feel invisible. But God sees.
You may feel like nothing is moving. But God is never idle.
He is preparing you, positioning others, shifting circumstances, and aligning everything for His glory and your good.

 

When the “Holy Grit” Plan Speaks to the Waiting Season

If you are following the 12 Monthsof Holy Grit plan, you will notice that some months feel tailor-made for the waiting:

These months are not about rushing the process. They are about becoming unshakable in it.

If you are in a quiet season, lean into these Scriptures. Let them speak life while you wait.

 

Final Word: Delay Is Not Defeat

Waiting is not a detour from your destiny. It is part of the path.
And if you can stay faithful in the unseen, God will bring fruit in due time.

So keep showing up. Keep worshiping. Keep obeying.
Even when you do not feel it.

Because resilient faith is not just about what you do when the doors open.
It is about how you trust while you are still knocking.

 

Thanksgiving Faith/Bible Journaling Plans 2022



Series Theme:
Thankful on Purpose
Series Description:
Gratitude is not just a feeling—it is a focus. In this two-month Bible reading journey through the writings of the Apostle Paul, you will explore how gratitude was foundational to his teaching, his encouragement, and even his correction. Whether he was in prison, writing to churches in crisis, or mentoring leaders in the faith, Paul always made space to give thanks. This series invites you to do the same. By meditating on one verse a day, you will learn how to root your life in a rhythm of thanksgiving—intentionally, joyfully, and humbly.
Series Theme Summary:
A deliberate posture of thanksgiving—no matter the season.


Join me if you want to do so.

View the reading plans below… 




(These links go directly to the PDFs.)




Sunday, September 18, 2022

Pauline Epistle Rememberminder: Jesus Is Our Joy in Philippians




Circumstances can change, but Christ does not. Joy lives in Him—not in what happens, but in who holds you.

Philippians 4:4 (ESV):

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”