Reading for Week Seven:
Chapters Twelve and Thirteen

SPIRITUAL PRACTICE: STEWARDSHIP

Typically when we hear the word stewardship, we think of the ways we steward our time, talent, and treasures to honor God and serve others. This week broaden your notion of stewardship to include stewarding trials, stewarding grace, stewarding comfort, and so on. How is God calling you to be a good steward of what he has entrusted to you? How will you respond?

Week Seven: Day One

CHAPTER TWELVE: MARA, BECCA, AND HANNAH (PP. 285-302)

Scripture Meditation: Philippians 3:10-11

Read the verses slowly and prayerfully. Do they reflect your longings? Offer God your honest response.

For Reflection and Journaling

1. Do you find it easy or difficult to receive acts of servanthood and love? Why?

</p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche"><span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page_46" title="46"/>2. What helps soothe you when you’re grieving or agitated? Is it a life-giving pursuit? If so, find ways to incorporate it into your daily or weekly rhythm.</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche">3. What does the “stewardship of sufferings” (p. 296) look like for you? How might you practice this?</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche">4. Reflect on the imagery of tombs being filled with resurrection life. In what ways have you experienced this kind of transformation? Spend time thanking God for indications of new life.</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form></div></div></div><!--@@niv1--><div class="niv1" id="niv1-040"><h2 class="int_niv1" epub:type="title">Week Seven: Day Two</h2><figure class="figbas" id="P2n"><div class="imagelarge"><img alt="Illustration" class="imagelarge" src="images/P2.jpg"/></div></figure><div class="niv2" id="niv2-041"><h3 class="int_niv2" epub:type="title">C<small>HAPTER</small> T<small>HIRTEEN:</small> M<small>EDITATION ON</small> J<small>OHN 21:9-22</small></h3><p class="txt_courant_ssalinea">Turn to the prayer exercise (pp. 305-306) and answer the reflection questions.</p></div></div><!--@@niv1--><div class="niv1" id="niv1-041"><span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page_47" title="47"/><h2 class="int_niv1" epub:type="title">Week Seven: Day Three</h2><figure class="figbas" id="P2o"><div class="imagelarge"><img alt="Illustration" class="imagelarge" src="images/P2.jpg"/></div></figure><div class="niv2" id="niv2-042"><h3 class="int_niv2" epub:type="title">C<small>HAPTER</small> T<small>HIRTEEN:</small> M<small>EDITATION ON</small> J<small>OHN 21:9-22</small></h3><p class="txt_courant_ssalinea">Continue praying with any questions you weren’t able to address yesterday. If you already completed the reflection questions, enter the text again with your imagination. What do you notice today?</p></div></div><!--@@niv1--><div class="niv1" id="niv1-042"><h2 class="int_niv1" epub:type="title">Week Seven: Day Four</h2><figure class="figbas" id="P2p"><div class="imagelarge"><img alt="Illustration" class="imagelarge" src="images/P2.jpg"/></div></figure><div class="niv2" id="niv2-043"><h3 class="int_niv2" epub:type="title">C<small>HAPTER</small> T<small>HIRTEEN:</small> <i>A</i><small><i>LL</i> (PP. 303-319)</small></h3><div class="niv3" id="niv3-055"><h4 class="int_niv3" epub:type="title">Scripture Meditation: Luke 9:23</h4><p class="txt_courant_ssalinea">Read the verse slowly. What is your prayer?</p></div><div class="niv3" id="niv3-056"><h4 class="int_niv3" epub:type="title">For Reflection and Journaling</h4><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche">1. Which of Mara’s and Charissa’s insights from the prayer exercise resonate with you? Why?</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche">2. In what ways are you being invited to “die daily” or let go? In what kinds of circumstances is it most difficult for you to die to yourself and follow Jesus?</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche"><span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page_48" title="48"/>3. As Becca sorts through her mother’s treasures, she’s provoked by a prayer shawl and a sketch of Jesus holding a lamb. Why? Do you share anything in common with her? Offer to God your honest response.</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche">4. In what ways is Mara glimpsing answers to prayer? Do you share anything in common with her? Offer to God your gratitude and longings.</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form></div></div></div><!--@@niv1--><div class="niv1" id="niv1-043"><h2 class="int_niv1" epub:type="title">Week Seven: Day Five</h2><figure class="figbas" id="P2q"><div class="imagelarge"><img alt="Illustration" class="imagelarge" src="images/P2.jpg"/></div></figure><div class="niv2" id="niv2-044"><h3 class="int_niv2" epub:type="title">C<small>HAPTER</small> T<small>HIRTEEN:</small> <i>A</i><small><i>LL</i> (PP. 320-333)</small></h3><div class="niv3" id="niv3-057"><h4 class="int_niv3" epub:type="title">Scripture Meditation: Colossians 3:15-17</h4><p class="txt_courant_ssalinea">Read the verses slowly and prayerfully. Which instructions are particularly challenging for you? Why? Speak to God about what you notice.</p></div><div class="niv3" id="niv3-058"><h4 class="int_niv3" epub:type="title">For Reflection and Journaling</h4><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche">1. How do you respond when you hear the message, “You should be grateful”? What helps you practice gratitude without compulsion?</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche"><span epub:type="pagebreak" id="page_49" title="49"/>2. What evidence do you see that God is watching over your life with love and care? Where is it difficult to trust that God is doing this? Offer your honest response to God in prayer.</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche">3. Charissa hears Bethany’s first whimper as a “fragile, resilient, reverberating witness to life and hope” (p. 333). Where do you hear such a witness right now? How does it speak to you?</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form><div class="lettre"><p class="txt_courant_justif retrait_gauche">4. For what are you grateful today? Offer your response to God in prayer.</p></div><form action="traitement.php" method="post" name="response"> <p><label/><br/><textarea name="response"/></p> </form></div></div></div><!--@@niv1--><div class="niv1" id="niv1-044"><h2 class="int_niv1" epub:type="title">Week Seven: Day Six</h2><figure class="figbas" id="P2r"><div class="imagelarge"><img alt="Illustration" class="imagelarge" src="images/P2.jpg"/></div></figure><div class="niv2" id="niv2-045"><h3 class="int_niv2" epub:type="title">R<small>EVIEW</small></h3><p class="txt_courant_ssalinea">Return to any questions you weren’t able to address. Reflect on the ways you were able to demonstrate good stewardship this week. Give God thanks for these opportunities and ask for God’s grace in moving forward.</p></div></div><!--@@niv1--></div></section></body></html>