Author: AmyTerry

Childlike Faith

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It’s day ten of “Mark, one chapter a day for Easter.” here at Refocused Bible Study. If you missed the details of the study, you can find them

HERE: https://amydterry.com/2020/03/27/read-mark-a-chapter-a-day-for-easter/

We’d love for you to join us!

Today, I’d like to set a challenge before you.

A challenge to have WILDLY CHILDLIKE FAITH.

A faith that looks like the faith a child has in their parent at a young age, before their eyes are disillusioned and see that we human parents are sinners.

We see this kind of faith in chapter ten of Mark. Jesus calls the children close, and uses them as an example of the way we are to receive the Kingdom of God.

So today, I leave you with this challenge: talk to God like he is your good, good daddy, even if your earthly father left you or was far from the image you’d like to have of a good parent.

Father,

Help us embrace your design for childlike faith. May we never outgrow a faith in our Father to just take care of us. You never cut ties and turn us loose to try and do life by ourselves without you. You ask us to keep childlike faith. Help us to stay wildly childlike, to never grow up and think we’ve got it all figured out and can do it on our own. Help us keep a childlike trust in you that helps us to never worry, but to only trust you.

In Jesus name,

Amen.

What’s the Lord speaking to you today? Trust his word like it’s from the Father that will never let you down, because it is! ❤

Day Break Prayer

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Before Daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray. Mark 1:35 NLT

It’s day one of the series “Mark, a chapter a day for Easter” here at Refocused Bible Study. If you missed the details, you can find them here.

Whatever way you came across this post, I’m glad you are here and I pray you’ll join us! There is so much good stuff in every chapter, it is hard to pick one verse to focus in on! However, this one about Jesus going off to pray by himself made me fall in love with him all over again.

Jesus was fully God and fully man, yet still went off by himself to intentionally cultivate a connection with the Father through prayer. Did he do this to model spiritual discipline for us? Maybe. Did he do this because

HE LOVED THE FATHER AND WANTED TIME ALONE WITH HIM?

I think so. The day before, Jesus had been healing people and casting out evil spirits. Ministry was busy. He knew another busy day of serving and healing was ahead of him. So he got up while it was still dark to go spend this time one on one with his heavenly father. If Jesus did this, how much more do we need to do this? He was one with The Father, and yet he still carved out time from the rest of the day to go and talk to him one on one. Do you know what I’ve been telling myself instead of waking up early to spend time with The Father?

YOU NEED SLEEP, AND THE LORD KNOWS IT. YOU CAN PRAY LATER DURING THE DAY.

But, ladies, how I’ve been missing this time with Him! Time alone with God in the morning just cannot be replaced. There is nothing like it. Plus, it’s easy to see that Jesus sacrificed sleep to go and be alone with God, even in the thick of a very busy few days of ministry.

During the days leading up to Easter, let’s follow Jesus’ example and set our alarms just 30 minutes earlier. Let’s go and pray to Him and see how it changes our hearts and our days. Following the pattern for prayer that Jesus shows us is a good place to start: “This, then, is how you should pray:

“ ‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. ’ For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.” ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭6:9-15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

I look forward to hearing what your verse for chapter 1 is! Let me know in the comments below. ❤

Did you miss the first post about the Mark Study? Find the details and print out your goodies HERE!

Read Mark: a Chapter a Day for Easter

Easter

Easter is on March 31st this year!

Let’s dive deeper into Jesus’ life, heart, and word together. Starting this Saturday, March 16th, I’ll be hosting Mark: A chapter a day for Easter. 

If you read one chapter a day, starting Saturday, March 16th, you will read daily for 16 days the entire gospel of Mark. You’ll experience the life and love of Jesus and feel more connected to Him. I’m praying and asking Him to meet us all right where he always does: in His Word. He is so faithful and I’m certain He will show us a new revelation of who He is as we read His life story once again or for the very first time. 

I have different options to join in studying Mark in this space together. Please pick which plan works for you, commit, and let us know!

Option 1) Full Study: Read, Journal and Memorize Weekly Verses

Hello, fellow journaling friend! I love to journal too. I find power in recording what I hear the Holy Spirit speak to me. I also focus better if I am writing my prayers down on paper. Finally, if I write down one verse a day from my time with the Lord, it sticks better. I meditate (think on it, pray God will help me apply it) the rest of the day, and my time with God continues on after I close my bible.

Having a structure to your quiet time or bible reading time can be very helpful. I like to use acronyms to help me pattern my time with Jesus. Below is an option for this reading plan. As I am reading through the chapter, I pick a verse that really speaks to me. (Don’t get too caught up in this, just pick a verse!) I write that verse down.  Then, I study that verse, and write how I can apply that verse to my life right now. For this study, next we will “review” – write out the context ( the setting, what was happening, who said the verse, and maybe a little about the entire chapter). Last, I write out a prayer to close my time with God. If you so choose, you could  also pray out loud or stop writing at this point and pray quietly to the Lord. You could also write down a few prayer requests and then go to the Lord in prayer. The important thing is to PRAY TO END YOUR QUIET TIME! ❤

 

DOWNLOAD THE FULL STUDY

Option 2) Just Read it

Go for it, girlfriend! I have some ideas to help you succeed in this very important endeavor over the sixteen days leading up to Easter. First of all, decide what time of day you will read the chapter. Next, decide how this will be a priority. What will you refuse to do until you have read the chapter for the day? This REALLY helps me make time one on one with God a priority. For example, you may decide you will not get on social media, watch Netflix, (basically any mindless time-sucker) until you have read your chapter. This really helps me! Let me know if it helps you, too! Sometimes quiet time isn’t so quiet, and you have to “just do it, ” (think Nike). DECIDE to  drop perfectionism and read the chapter on the bible app on your phone while you rock your baby. Decide to listen to the chapter on the app through your earbuds in the car rider line or while you are working out. Just do it! 🙂 Even though you are not writing it down, pick one verse to take with you throughout the rest of the day until your next reading session so you can think on it and let God continue to speak to you through it. (Yes, He still speaks to his people)!

 

Option 3)INCLUDE YOUR KIDS!!

This options has extra options!

a) Print your kids their own Mark journal here and have them read and journal in all the spaces or at least some. You can add in the other fun options below if you want!

b) Just Read a chapter a day to your kids, discuss and pray.

c) THE JESUS BASKET: You will cut out the verse of the day from Mark and put it in an Easter egg. It’s a countdown to Easter with number eggs and you can add Candy each day or a fun activity!! DOWNLOAD THE JESUS BASKET PACKET HERE!

My kids and I did this together several times, but now at 16, 14, & 13, they’ve grown into their own personal quiet times and relationship with God. I believe the years we spent studying His Word together led into their own personal desire to know Jesus more on their own. So if you have little ones, check out the Jesus basket packet above!

Accountability

Let’s link arms, ladies, and encourage one another on this short journey the next sixteen days. I want you to share your “My verse” with me. How can you do this? 

Here on the blog, in the comments. Yes, I will try to send an email everyday between now and then, so make sure you follow this blog.

The Facebook Group. Click here to be added.

Instagram. Comment on the daily post. Click here to follow me. 

I just know we are going to see Jesus more beautiful than ever through this journey. These may feel like uncertain and scary times, but Jesus is here with us everyday. I pray we all experience His love and worship Him with fresh awe on Easter.  ❤

That is my prayer for all of us, that we would fall more in love with Jesus and his Word as we journey with him this Easter season. 

Let me know you are joining us! I want to hear from you!

Invite your friends!!!

Here are some helpful links to a series I wrote on Back to the Basics of Bible Study if you want more inspiration and direction: 

Bible Study & Prayer 101: How To Read The Bible 

Bible Study & Prayer 101: Back to the Basics

Bible Study & Prayer 101: Meet the Teacher

Share this post and invite others to join us! ❤

Amy

Comment below and tell me which plan option you chose!

 

How Would Jesus Spring Clean?

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WEEK 1 PRAYER PODCAST: Spring Cleaning Week 1 Prayer Podcast

“Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” Matthew 11:29-30 MSG

In the breath before this one, Jesus had just been explaining to the disciples how exactly to live this free life- in intimacy with the Father.  He is telling the disciples to watch him, and promising that he will teach them how to live life in this free and light way.

So we can’t literally see Jesus at the moment,  but as I have encouraged us in the book, we have invited him with us on the journey to a clean home and a clean heart.  If we haven’t done this, then we might as well forget this bible study and just grab our trash bags and our cleaning supplies and get the work done.

So, I sat down to write some quick tips to motivate us to get started.  And as he often does, Jesus rushed in as I called on him and he told me to encourage you with this:

Spring Clean the way Jesus would.  

Can’t you just see him now?  Like he did when he washed the disciples’ feet… wrapping a towel around his waist, eager to serve, a heart full of love; perfect love for the recipient of this work.

And sisters, this is EXACTLY what I encourage us to do in our homes in the month of March.  I am not a cleaning expert.  I am a girl wildly and madly in love with Jesus who has been given a home to make into his masterpiece.

I want you talking with Jesus the entire time you are on this journey,

thanking him for your clutter and excess,

asking him who to pass clothes on to,  

inviting your children to join in the work, and

praying for the people you are cleaning for.  

>>>Now a FREEBIE!  For those of you who are not going to buy the book, here is a passage reading/cleaning schedule so you can join in too!  >>>Click below!

Spring Cleaning for Your Heart and Home Reading_Cleaning Schedule

Want the full Spring Cleaning Bible Study Experience?  Buy the book at Amazon below:

http://www.amazon.com/Spring-Cleaning-Your-Heart-Home/dp/1530583446/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1459774780&sr=8-1&keywords=Spring+Cleaning+bible+study

Less Stuff More Life: an honest move to minimalism

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I’m so happy to host a guest blogger, Tabbie, from BohoMinimism.com! She is sharing her journey to minimalism beautifully on her blog and I asked her to share her “why” and “how” with us. There is power in “why.” Our motivation always needs to be deeply rooted in something strong. For me, a move to minimalism is sparked by the desire for “less stuff, more Jesus.” Less stuff to work for + manage = More time + Mind energy at Jesus’ feet undistracted. I’m working on my “how!”

I think doing the spring cleaning bible study again will truly help me keep my “why” in sight through His Word in the study, (see below) while I use the cleaning schedule that also weaves through the book to declutter and organize.

Don’t forget, our journey together starts Monday!

Whether you just want to do a bible study online, spring clean, or minimize; we want you to join us!

Here’s a FREE Verse Writing Plan/Cleaning Schedule Or

there’s still time to use Prime 2 day shipping! Get the book on Amazon: Spring Cleaning for Your Heart and Home

Here’s Tabbie’s story of a movement towards minimalism.

Hello new friends! First, I’d like to thank Amy, who is so graciously allowing me to share my personal perspective of the minimalist lifestyle. I’ve never had it all together, although I’m sometimes too good at pretending to. With the realization that my 30th birthday was quickly approaching, I started to take a hard look at myself and who I really am. You know what I realized? I had NO clue. I started to dig around, hoping to find something…anything to help me figure out how to get to know myself. With that, I stumbled upon “minimalism”. The official definition of minimalism is “a style or technique that is characterized by extreme sparseness and simplicity.” (Merriam-Webster Dictionary) For me, I already thought of myself as somewhat of a minimalist. I am not very sentimental. I do find joy in items, but usually have no problem purging or selling if I need the money or to make space for new, trendy stuff. However, I pictured true minimalists as people who sell just about everything they own, build a tiny house, and live off the land. I also assumed that true minimalists were already millionaires and could afford this drastic lifestyle change. As a mama of 4, I knew that my initial idea of true minimalism wasn’t going to be achievable. While I’m sure it can and is being done, I knew it wouldn’t work for me and my family. It wasn’t until I came across the documentary Minimalism – A Documentary About the Important Things on Netflix that my idea of minimalism started to change. I made notes of some of the people featured in the film and started to further my research thinking “maybe I can make this work for me.” I listened to audio-books like Minimalism for Living, Family & Budgeting by K. L. Hammond and Soulful Simplicity: How Living with Less Can Lead to So Much More by Courtney Carver. I learned that there were many levels of minimalism and that I didn’t have to sell everything I own and live in a tiny house to live minimally. (Although that is a very respected level of minimalism!) Both books inspired me to create my own version of minimalism that works for my unique life. And with that, my new, personal definition of minimalism was born. It is “Making room for joy, love and experiences by getting rid of everything that doesn’t help us achieve these.” There is so much more to minimalism than just getting rid of clutter, but a laid-out purging plan is a great way to start the process.

Decluttering is also a great time to pray, meditate and practice gratefulness.

As I work through this journey, I’m discovering new things about myself every day. I’m starting to truly enjoy my family and my life again. I can give back to my community and am gaining a new appreciation for everything I have been blessed with. And you know the BEST part? This way of simple living can totally be tailor-made to YOU. That is what I love about minimalism! I’m learning how to make the minimalist life work for me and you can too!

Here at Refocused Bible Study, starting April 9, I will be blogging through this journey to a clean heart and home!  

I wrote a 4 week bible study available on amazon, titled, “Spring Cleaning for your heart and home: Praying your way to a clean house.” Get it here:>>>>>>>>

<<<<(Click pic to go to amazon and check it out!)>>>>

Click here:>>> Spring Cleaning for Your Heart and Home The study is based on the this amazing passage:

“Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” ~Jesus Matthew 11:29-30 MSG

We will be walking with Jesus through our homes, cleansing our spirits and our houses. We will be praying powerful faith-filled prayers for our families as we clean their spaces. We are going to feel so free and light and our houses will look so wonderful we are done! I’ll be posting prayer podcasts every week to listen to as we work. I can’t wait to walk through our houses with Freedom Himself together on this journey!