day 1 - thanksgiving - chrystal evans...

DAY 1 - THANKSGIV ING

MORNING MEDITATION

It is easy to be focused on what’s wrong in our lives. Take a moment to choose gratitude and focus on what is right.

“Dear God, I thank you for__________.”

Write a personal prayer of gratitude in journal or spiral notebook. Your intentional thanksgiving will shape the way you see your day today. You might want to make it your goal to record your attitude-of-gratitude” over the next 7 days.

AFTERNOON REFLECTION

While it’s true that starting your day with a grateful heart can set the tone for your attitude and actions throughout the day, it’s not the end of the world if you forget.

If you didn’t stop this morning to spend time talking to God, it’s not too late. Even if you were rushed this morning, take a moment and give Him a little bit of time right now. You are still on the front end of your day.

Pause for just a moment, go back to this morning’s prayer prompt and give thanks. Stop and look around you. What can you thank God for?

The hard part of praying without ceasing is remembering to do it throughout the day. But God is always with you in every moment of the day. You just have to remember to keep the conversation going.

Stop and look around. What can you find to be thankful for in this very moment, wherever you are right now?

EVENING INSPIRATION

“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” – Unknown

Right now, in the middle of dinner dishes, in the middle of exhaustion from another day,in the middle of running errands, running kids, or running on the treadmill at the gym....give thanks!

Find something. One thing. Anything. What went right today? If you look closely, even on the worst of days, you will discover that God has still been good!

How can you thank Him?

Don’t forget to get out your gratitude journal or spiral notebook (or even the notes on your phone, if all else fails). If you want more, close your day by finding a praise and worship channel on Pandora or Spotify and just sit for a few minutes reflecting on God’s goodness. Just spend a few minutes thinking about the good stuff. You might even find that you will rest better because of it.

DAY 2 - REPENTANCE

MORNING MEDITATION

Repentance.

If I’m really being honest, this is the part of prayer I really don’t like. It’s the part where I must examine my heart, my thoughts and my actions, to identify where I am not pleasing my God.

The upside of this part of prayer is that by asking for His forgiveness in areas that haveoffended Him, I clear the way to my heart for Him to work deeper and more fully in my life. I guess it’s not so bad after all.

Take a moment to ask God where you are not in right standing with Him. Don’t rush through it. Ask Him to show you and then sit for a few minutes to listen to Him. You’d be surprised what He wants to say to you if you gave Him a few minutes to talk.

“Dear God, I don’t want to hurt you with my thoughts or actions. I’m sorry for__________.”

If you are so led, share your areas of struggle in your journal. Want more? Confess your area of struggle to a friend. Ask them to hold you accountable to consistently please the Lord in that area of your life particularly over the next 7 days. Your bravery to acknowledge your sin to another might even help them do the same.

MORNING MEDITATIONRepentance.

If I’m really being honest, this is the part of prayer I really don’t like. Its the part where I must examine my heart to see my thoughts, my actions, and my heart for where I am

not pleasing my God.

The upside of this part of prayer is that by asking for His forgiveness in areas that haveoffended Him, I clear the way to my heart for Him to work deeper and more fully in my

life. I guess it’s not so bad after all.

Take a moment to ask God where you are not in right standing with Him. Don’t rushthrough it. Ask Him to show you and then sit for a few minutes to listen to Him. You’d be

surprised what He wants to say to you if you gave Him a few minutes to talk.

“Dear God, I don’t want to hurt you with my thoughts or actions. I’m sorrry for__________.”If you are so lead, share your areas of struggle in your journal. Want more? Confess your area of struggle to a friend. Ask them to hold you accountable to consistently please the Lord in that area of your life particularly

over the next 7 days. Your bravery toacknowledge your sin to another might even help them do the same.


Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)

Take a moment to reflect. Pause for a "heart check”. Is your life pleasing God today?You don't have to wait until the end of the day to try to remember whether or not you hit the nail on

the head! Stop here and there throughout the day to check in

n with God to ask Him how you can please Him and to ask His forgiveness for where you have not. It;s not so much about finding fault as it is about finding freedom - freedom to walk in complete honesty with a God

who loves you dearly and wants the best for you.

Share in your journal if you want. Share with a friend if you can. Either way, know that if you share, your hon-esty with yourself will allow you to talk to God with a clear conscience knowing that you have acknowledged

your areas of weakness and sought His help.

EVENING INSPIRATION

God’s mercy is bigger than any of your mistakes. It’s not too late to talk God and clear the air. You’ll be glad you did. And what if today wasn’t a good day? “It is not the healthy who need a doctor,


“Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the

path of everlasting life”. Psalm 139:23-24 (NLT)

Take a moment to reflect. Pause for a “heart check”. Is your life pleasing God today? You don’t have to wait until the end of the day to try to remember whether or not you hit the nail on the head! Stop here and there throughout the day to check in with God to ask Him how you can please Him and to ask His forgiveness for where you have not. It’s not so much about finding fault as it is about finding freedom - freedom to walk in complete honesty with a God who loves you dearly and wants the best for you.

Share in your journal, if you want. Share with a friend, if you can. Either way, know that if you share, honesty with yourself will allow you to talk to God with a clear conscience knowing that you have acknowledged your areas of weakness and sought His help.

EVENING INSPIRATION

God’s mercy is bigger than any of your mistakes. It’s not too late to talk to God and clear the air. You’ll be glad you did. And what if today wasn’t a good day?

“It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:31-32

What if you know you have blown it in some way? Well guess what? He knew you would need His help. That’s exactly why He came. Don’t be ashamed to tell Him that you need Him. He’s listening.

Do you need Jesus today?

Tell Him so. If today was a day of victory for you, tell Him that too.

DAY 3 - REQUESTS

MORNING MEDITATION

What is the BURNING thing that you are chomping at the bit to ask God for? I mean, let’s not fake the funk and force each other to reach for those obscure requests that we OUGHT to pray when there is something we really WANT to pray for.

He knows our heart anyway, right?

It’s that time of the journey to pray for the desires of our heart and/or our concerns for others in our circles of influence.

Let’s start today by being HONEST.

What do you desire most from God either for yourself or for the benefit of someone else or both?

Share your heart’s desire in your journal if you like. Pick at least one thing - the thing your heart burns for - and go for it. Lay it at the feet of Jesus. And know that when we pray, God hears more than we say, answers more than we ask, and gives more than we imagine in His own time and in His own way.


“If God answered all your prayers would the world look different or just your life?” – Dave Willis.

Ouch. Convicting. And here’s another thought. Who or what do you NOT want to pray for? That’s convicting too. Be nice and be kind. But also be brave. If there is a person or situation that you SHOULD pray for but that you don’t really WANT to pray for - let’s do THAT today.

Why you ask?

Because it brings glory to God for you to push past your feelings to have His heart for people, for hard circumstances, and for difficult challenges. When you pray for those that hurt or persecute you, and show concern for circumstances that you’d rather not be apart of, you know what it is to have the heart of God. And He smiles.

EVENING INSPIRATION

“When I pray for another person, I am praying for God to open my eyes so that I can see that person as God does, and then enter into the stream of love that

God already directs towards that person.” – Philip Yancey

It’s okay to make requests for yourself. It’s okay to make requests for others. The point is to talk to God about all of it often. As soon as a need, concern, decision, emotion, or hard circumstance arises, let it remind you that you need to chat with Him. You are not bothering Him. He likes to hear from you. And better yet, the Lord will fight for you.

“The Lord will fight for you, you only need to be still.” –Exodus 14:14

You know what that means? You can let it go and be still. As you near the end of the day, lay down the things that you have held on to so tight that it is hurting you to keep it in your grasp. If you struggle to make requests of God and then leave them there, that’s okay. Your ability to release your concerns is a function of the depth of your relationship to Him.

The more you trust Him, the easier it will be. And you will build trust with time. Until then, write down the concerns that threaten to morph into worry, and keep writing them down, until they no longer tie your head and your heart into knots. Lay down tonight knowing that you have done your part to make the request known and now you must trust God to do His.

DAY 4 - Y IELD

MORNING MEDITATION

What does it mean to yield?

The dictionary defines as “to give way to arguments, demands, or pressure; to relinquishpossession of something or to give something up; to cease to argue about.”

So my question to you is, where do you need to quit arguing with God? What do you need to simply let Him have and give Him control of? The answer doesn’t have to be life altering.

I mean, sure, He could be asking you to move to Costa Rica to be a missionary but He’sprobably simply asking you to be a faithful servant to the mission field down the hallway. If you’ve been following along with the journey this week, take a moment and think of where God has been convicting you, nudging you, or speaking to you. What has been coming to your mind and your heart frequently this week? What step do you sense a need to take?

Surrender. That’s another word for yield. The more you yield, the more you get out of the way and you allow God’s power to fill you and work in and through you. So, think about it. Ask Jesus what He thinks. Then write about it in your journal, if you are so inclined.

What will you give to God this week as a result of your gratitude, your need for forgiveness, your prayers for others, and your prayers for yourself?

Dear God, You can have_______. Help me to get out of the way.


“Talk to God through short little prayers throughout your day. Every prayer doesn’t have to be long and eloquent.” - Godfruits.com

Don’t wait until you have the perfect time to pray. Every moment is the perfect moment if you need to talk to Him or if He wants to talk to you. So pause to pray, right now, at this very moment. And think about this…How do you need to “let go” and follow God’s lead…instead of trying to control and over- orchestrate your life?

Of course it’s hard, but I want you to know that some things are harder than they have to be because we insist on doing it in our own strength! Have you surrendered that area to God, the same area where are working so hard? Surrender doesn’t mean that you don’t work, it just means that you don’t move ahead of God and what He has clearly asked you, convicted you, or empowered you to do.

His strength can take you so much further than your will. Today the focus is on yielding or surrendering your life to the Father - in big ways and small ways. Do you trust Him? Tell Him. Tell Him whether the answer is a resounding yes or a bit of a shameful no. He knows anyway. Your honesty is for the sake of your authentic relationship with God.

Even if you don’t you feel like you trust Him, do something today to act like you trust the God of the universe to take care of whatever you will hand Him today. What does trusting Him need to actually look like in your life? What would you do differently if you chose to rely on God to do the hard lifting? Breathe deep. Take a chance on Him. What’s your first step if you believe that He’s good and that He’s got everything under control? It’s okay if your heart is beating a little faster. Feet don’t have to follow feelings, but they should always follow the Father.

EVENING INSPIRATION

“Lord, I can’t say it in words… Can you please just listen through my heart” – Unknown

I know you may be tempted to jump in the bed. Maybe it’s been a long day, a long week, or maybe even a long year. I know you are tired. But did you know that the Holy Spirit can share the deepest parts of your heart, happiness or pain, when you don’t have the energy to utter a single word? Get still and talk to God from your heart. Then when you run out of words, just ask Him to read in between the beats of your heart and to decode the message that your mind can’t put together to share in your native tongue. He will hear. He will comfort. He will answer.

“And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be ex-pressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying,

for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony with God’s own will.” Romans 8:26-27(NLT)

DAY 5 - FRIDAY, FAITH, FAMILY & FRIENDS

MORNING MEDITATION

At this point in the journey, I hope that you have been encouraged to pray and to prayoften. It is also my hope that you are being open and honest in your communication with God and sharing willingly from your heart. I pray that you are choosing to believe that time spent with God in prayer matters.

It does.

So far in this challenge, you may simply need a reminder every now and again. Or you may be moving reluctantly out of a place of distrust. Either way, you’ve prayed, and prayed maybe just a tad more than you did last week. That’s good. Today is different. Today let’s pray for someone else. Text, call, or email a friend and ask them how you can pray for them.


“Remember that you can pray anytime, anywhere. Washing dishes, digging ditches, working in the office, in the shop, on the athletic field, even in prison — you can pray

and know God hears!” - Billy Graham

God is never blind to your tears, never deaf to your prayers, and never silent to your pains. He sees, He hears and He will deliver. Wherever you are right this very second, God sees you and He cares. Take a second and tell Him that you appreciate Him for always looking out for you. Then, if you have a few minutes, talk to Him about whatever concerns you or someone that you care about.

EVENING INSPIRATION

But God.

But God that you are still employed.

But God that you are still alive.

But God that you still have a place to sleep and food to eat.

But God that you are healthy.

But God that you have peace of mind if you are not.

But God that you are still married.

But God that you choose to celebrate your singlehood.

But God that if you messed up royally, that you have tomorrow to start fresh.

But God that He loves you because He created you and made you in His image.

But God that every minute of every day, the God of the universe is willing and ready totalk to you.

But God...

Take a minute and chat with Him.

DAY 6

MORNING MEDITATION

Today you will go to work, run errands, take your kids to extracurricular activities, grocery shop, clean your house, pay some bills, go to the beauty shop, attend a Zumba class, clean out your purse, fill up your car with gas, order a pizza, go fill up your filtered water containers, meet friends for dinner, study for a test for school, move your college kids back to school, or SOMETHING.

Throughout the day you will have multiple opportunities to pray with or for people you don’t know. Take the challenge. Pray for the person you serve at your job, the person you stand behind in line at the grocery store, another mom you make small talk with at the playground or at your kid’s game, the clerk at the post office when you deliver your package for mailing, the lady who does your hair, the instructor in your Zumba class, the business card in your purse from the person you may never see again, the teacher at your kid’s school, the man filling up his tank next to you at the gas station.

Your prayers have POWER. They move heaven in the spiritual realm where you cannot see the ripple effect of your mention of that person in the heavenlies. All day, look for the people for whom you can pray! Love your neighbor. Bless your neighbor. Pray for those with whom your life intersects... even if that meeting lasts for a few minutes. Your prayer might just have an impact that lasts.

Dear God, Please bless/Help/Reach/Protect________________.


“Lord, help me to see what you see in the people whose paths I cross today. Even if I don’t have the opportunity to talk to them or know their name, please prompt me to pray for those people who really need prayer. Give me a high level of sensitivity to those who are hurting and who need a touch from you.

You died for me Jesus. And you died for them. Help me never to forget to love others like you love me”

EVENING INSPIRATION

Your prayers matter. And one of the best goodnight texts you may ever send is to tell a friend, “I’m praying for you.” So, right now, pick up your phone. Text the first person that comes to mind. Tell them that you are praying for them.

If that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling, then text a few more people.Don’t forget to actually pray ;) If you really want to bless someone, text them your actual prayer for them :).

DAY 7 - SUNDAY CHALLENGE

MORNING MEDITATION

Yesterday, we were challenged to pray for those in our physical community - any person, even a stranger, for whom God might prompt us to pray. Today, let’s pray for those in our spiritual community. Your pastor needs your prayers. By pastor, I mean the primary person who feeds you spiritually. The primary one who teaches you on Sunday morning as you sit in the pew, that ministers to your heart as you watch online, or as you listen in the car as you drive back and forth to work each day.

If you have multiple people that nourish your soul, draw you closer to God, or teach you His Word, don’t worry about covering them all today. Today focus on the MAIN ONE. Still don’t know what to pray exactly? Here are some ideas.

1. Pray that your pastor’s preaching and teaching would be bold and Christ-Centered. In a world that is growing antagonistic to Christianity by the minute, your pastor or spiritual lead-er needs your prayer for courage and tenacity to preach God’s Word fully and focus on the saving work of Jesus Christ.

2. Pray for your pastor’s family. Satan is real and He has a target drawn on the back of those who lead others towards righteousness. Pray for protection, covering, wholeness, and deep abiding love and commitment.

3. Pray for your pastor’s health - spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical. Shepherding others is hard work and over time that can take a toll.

Your prayers matter. Spend time today praying for someone who helps to grow spiritually and encourages you in faithfulness to God.


“Religion can be one of the greatest hindrances to faith because it creates dependencyon ritual rather than on the God of the universe who can do all things.” – Chrystal Hurst

If you went to church this week, that’s awesome. If you didn’t, how come? Either way, I want to make sure you know that your church attendance, while a great way for you to grow and fellowship with other believers, does not take the place of relationship with God.Regardless of whether or not you went to church, enjoyed the liturgy, practiced a ritual,or went out of rote habit or relished the opportunity to worship once again - take a fewminutes to focus on God, who is also your friend.

Spend some time chatting with Him. Celebrating with Him at His party, isn’t a substitute for the fact that He wants personal time with you as well. He’s jealous like that :) God is not something do, He’s someone to know.

EVENING INSPIRATION

“Pray as much as you can, as often as you can, as best as you can, for as long as you can.” - R.T. Kendall

Today is the last day of the 7 day journey. Tomorrow you will have to be intentional about making time to pray. Have you made plans? Do you have appointments, meetings, deadlines, doctor’s appointments, activities, tests, conference calls, meals to plan, kids to discipline, beds to make, emails to send, prescriptions to fill, bills to pay, or SOMETHING?!?!?!?

Then let me ask you, have you asked God to guide you as you plan your activities for the next seven days? Have you given Him permission to interrupt your plans if He sees fit?Have you asked His blessings on your plans and direction as you move forward?If not, take a moment and pull out your calendar or your to-do list and invite God toparticipate in your plans and to wreck your plans if He sees fit.He always has a plan and it’s always for your benefit.

Let Him in so He can do His best work in your life.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and He will establish your plans Proverbs 16:9

day 1 - thanksgiving - chrystal evans...

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