Daily Sheet: Day 144: Renewal
Family Book: “The Color of Home”
Travel: Minnesota
Video: “All Things New” – Elevation Worship/Hillsong
Video: “Mills Family Baptism”
Video: “River Baptism 2015”
Video: “Dry Bones” – Gungor (another incredible acoustic performance!)
Daily Sheet: Day 108: Perseverance
Family Book: “The Butter Man”
Travel: Western Sahara; Morocco
Video: “When The Saints” – Sara Groves (images from the persecuted church; with lyrics)
Song: “Mistral” – Roo Panes
Daily Sheet: Day 107: Fortitude
Family Book: “Yatandou”
Travel: Mauritania
Song: “Carry On” – Phil Keaggy
The following verses, both written by Paul, will help you answer today’s questions:
Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope. -Romans 5:3-5 (ESV)
Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. -2 Corinthians 1:6 (NLT)
Questions:
Daily Sheet: Day 103: Attentiveness
Family Book: “Good Night, Gorilla”
Travel: Cameroon
Video: “A Message To Myself” – Roo Panes
Going to get out of here, so many voices fill this place; Society is in my solitude. Oh find me the corner of this great space! If I’d heard every word, if I’d read every line upon the shelf, I’d still need a message to myself.
Searching for the elements, the roots of a fundamental love; Been reaching out to find my solid ground, ’cause I’ve never known peace lest from above. So up in the clear, I’ll find the voice that I hold dear, and I’ll send a message to myself.
Video: “Just One More Thing” – Sara Groves
Daily Sheet: Day 102: Benevolence
Family Book: “If the World Were a Village”
Travel: Gabon
Video: “Open My Hands” – Sara Groves (talking about her inspiration behind writing this song)
In Psalm 84:11 we read, “No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” Sir Richard Baker comments, “But how is this true, when God so oftentimes withholds riches and honor and health of body from men, though they walk ever so uprightly? We may therefore know that honors and riches and bodily strength are none of God’s good things, and the good things of God are chiefly peace of conscience, joy in the Holy Spirit, fruition of God’s presence, and a vision of His face in the next. These good things God never withholds from the Godly.”
Video: “Open My Hands” – Sara Groves (live acoustic performance)
I believe in a blessing I don’t understand. I’ve seen rain fall on wicked and the just. Rain is no measure of his faithfulness; He withholds no good thing from us.
I believe in a peace that flows deeper than pain, that broken find healing in love.
Pain is no measure of his faithfulness; He withholds no good thing from us.I believe in a fountain that will never dry, though I’ve thirsted and didn’t have enough. Thirst is no measure of his faithfulness; He withholds no good thing from us.
I will open my hands, will open my heart.
I am nodding my head, an emphatic “Yes!” to all that You have for me.
Questions:
Daily Sheet: Day 101: Belief
Family Book: “I Believe: The Nicene Creed”
Travel: Congo
Video: “Creed” – Rich Mullins (with introduction by Rich)
I hope I would leave a legacy of joy; a legacy of real compassion. Because I think there is a great joy in real compassion. I don’t think that you can know joy apart from caring deeply about people, caring enough about people that you actually do something. But I have a feeling like if my life is motivated by my ambition to leave a legacy, what I will probably leave as a legacy is ambition. But if my life is motivated by the power of the Spirit in me, if I live in the awareness of the indwelling Christ, if I allow His presence to guide my actions, to guide my motives, those sorts of things, that’s the only time I think that we really leave a great legacy. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. My ambition to be a good guy is a fleshly ambition. And when Christ calls us to take up our cross and follow him, a lot of us think that what that means is we’re supposed to lay down our vices, and we’re supposed to cling to virtues, but I think that unless Christ is Lord of our virtues, our virtues become dangerous to us and dangerous to the people around us. I think that when Christ calls us to take up our cross, what He means is you must die not only to whatever vices are in your life, which he will eventually kill out, you must also die to whatever virtues are in your life. Your life is not valuable because you are an articulate speaker, your life is not valuable because you are a generous person, your life is not valuable because of any of that. If we empty ourselves of everything and allow God to be present, then it’s no longer us, it’s Him. Then it becomes a spiritual thing. And that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. And that’s when I think Christianity really begins to make sense.
Video: “Creed” – Rich Mullins with Third Day (with Croatian subtitles)
Daily Sheet: Day 100: Ambition
Family Book: “Uncommon Traveler”
Travel: Angola
Video: “Secret Ambition” – Michael W. Smith (official music video) Uh, it’s 90’s. VERY 90’s…
Nobody knew his secret ambition was to give his life away.
Questions:
Daily Sheet: Day 95: Warmth
Family Book: “Mud”
Travel: Zambia
Video: “Breakfast Breakfast Breakfast” – Elisabeth Pixley-Fink & Andru Bemis
Daily Sheet: Day 94: Discernment
Family Book: “Babu’s Song”
Travel: Mozambique; Malawi
Song: “Turn Your Eyes” – Jadon Lavik
O soul are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, and life more abundant and free.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus; Look full in His wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His Glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting He passed, and we follow Him there; Over us sin no more hath dominion – for more than conquerors we are!
Video: “Painting Pictures of Egypt” – Sara Groves
I’ve been painting pictures of Egypt, leaving out what it lacks, and the future feels so hard and I want to go back but the places that used to fit me cannot hold the things I’ve learned. Those roads were closed off to me while my back was turned.
If it comes too quick, I may not appreciate it. Is that the reason behind all this time in the sand? And if it comes too quick, I may not recognize it. Is that the reason behind all this time in the sand?
Verses about the Will of God:
Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. -1 Thessalonians 5:18
For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people. -1 Peter 2:15
The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. -2 Peter 3:9
He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? -Micah 6:8
For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. -Jeremiah 29:11-13
But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. -Matthew 6:33
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. -Proverbs 3:5-6
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. -Romans 8:28
Seek the Lord and his strength; seek his presence continually! -1 Chronicles 16:11
“This is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.” -John 6:40
For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God’s will, than for doing evil. -1 Peter 3:17
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it. -1 Corinthians 10:13
Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. -Psalm 37:4
For this is the will of God, your sanctification: …that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust… -1 Thessalonians 4:3-5
Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, …but be filled with the Spirit. -Ephesians 5:15-19
And he said to all, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.” -Luke 9:23
“Peace I lead with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.” -John 14:27
“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.” -Matthew 28:19
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. -1 Timothy 2:3-4
Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. -Philippians 4:8
Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working. -James 5:16
Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men. -Colossians 3:23
In Christian circles, people like to talk about “discerning God’s will for their lives,” as if God has a very specific itinerary mapped out for each of us and it is our job to guess correctly what we are to do next. This theology is largely based on the above passage from Jeremiah (“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord!”…) However, if you continue reading that passage, you come across the following promise, if you are calling upon Him and coming and praying to Him: “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” The emphases there are mine. Note that the passage does not read as follows: “You will call upon me and come and pray to me and I will hear you. You will seek the correct path and find it, when you seek it with all your heart.” Nope, God tells us that we will find him! Read over the above verses again and look for the answers to these questions:
It is interesting to note that in nearly all of the above verses, God explains that there are good consequences attached to doing His will. Only the passage in Micah uses the word “require.” God is specific about His will but he gives us the freedom to choose our response.
Character core curriculum 
