Journey Devotional - September 2011
Journey ®
Learn to Respond Like Jesus
Letting Go
WWW.LIFEWAY.COM
of Grudges
SEPTEMBER 2011 U.S.A. $3.50
A WomAn’s Guide to intimAcy With God
Journey
®
Contents
V o l u m e 1 8 , N u mb eR 9 septembeR 2011
Editor’s Notes
Journey devotional magazine equips women to develop a daily walk with God and to serve Him in their homes, churches, and communities.
Check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/journeymagazine. Production & Ministry Team pamela Nixon Lead Editor tammy Drolsum paula A. Kirk susan Nelson Donna pennell Editors Chris Adams lorie l. Keene Jennifer mcCaman Contributing Editors michelle strickland Art Director Julie tozer Aldrich Operations Manager for Publishing pam Case Director of LifeWay Women Chris Adams Senior Lead Women’s Ministry Specialist
JOURNEY: A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO INTIMACY WITH GOD (IssN 1073-4473; Item 005075231) is a Christian women’s devotional magazine published monthly by lifeWay press®, one lifeWay plaza, Nashville, tN 37234, thom s. Rainer, president, lifeWay Christian Resources. Copyright © 2011 by lifeWay press®. How to Order Journey If you need help with an order, WRIte lifeWay Church Resources, Customer service Center, one lifeWay plaza, Nashville, tN 37234-0113. For subscriptions, FAX (615) 251-5818 or e-mAIl [email protected]. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, FAX (615) 251-5933 or e-mAIl [email protected]. order oNlINe at www.lifeway.com/journey. mail address changes to Journey, same address. Subscription Pricing Annual individual subscription, $24.95 for one year (12 issues); $43.95 for two years (24 issues); $59.95 for three years (36 issues). please allow 6-8 weeks for arrival of first issue. bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address when ordered with other literature, $1.55 each issue plus shipping. unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian standard bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman bible publishers. used by permission. Holman Christian standard bible®, Holman Csb®, and HCsb® are federally registered trademarks of Holman bible publishers. Content is copyright © 2011 by Walk thru the bible ministries, Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form unless authorized in writing. printed in u.s.A. to investigate the possibility of advertising in Journey, e-mail [email protected]. Send questions/comments to: Editor, Journey • One LifeWay Plaza • Nashville, TN 37234-0175. Or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com. Cover photography © istockphoto. Devotional page art by istockphoto. backgrounds by shutterstock and istockphoto.
5 8 16 30 38
Devotionals Week One Week Two Week Three Week Four Week Five
4
etc.
7
Going Beyond
Cooler Weather Ahead Preparing Our Hearts to Hear
13 Great Prayers of the Bible A Gentile Mother’s Faith
14 Rightly Related
Humble Yourself Before God
20 Girl Talk
The Princess and the Toad
22 The Blessing of Forgiveness Healing Together
26 Café Connection Your Church Family
29 Frazzled Female
Learning to Respond Like Jesus
35 Letting Go of Grudges
Examine Your Heart
36 Stretching Your Faith
{
Blessings in Disguise
For individual or gift subscriptions or church bulk orders, go to: www.lifeway. com/journey
Thursday, September 1
A Crown Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
M y coworker Jill and her husband, Ed, are going through a dif-
ficult time. They’re caring for her mother-in-law, Audrey, who has Alzheimer’s. Jill told me about some of the challenges they face each day and how tiring it is being a caregiver. But she wasn’t complaining; she was just stating the facts. Their daily routine includes getting Audrey up in the morning and trying to get her focused long enough to dress herself properly. Then Jill and Ed drop her off at adult day care so they can go to work at their respective jobs. Long after most people have retired for the night, Jill and Ed may still be trying to get her mother-in-law in bed. Even after Audrey falls asleep, she may wake up several times before morning. Jill and Ed take turns getting up during the night to get Audrey to and from the bathroom, and sometimes they have to change her sheets in the middle of the night. As I listened to this sweet, godly woman tell me what her days and nights are like, I was humbled. I was not only aware of Jill’s selflessness in the face of some very difficult circumstances, but I wondered if I would have the same Christlike
attitude if I were in her shoes. If I had been my mother-in-law’s caretaker (she also suffered from Alzheimer’s), would I have handled it with such dignity and grace? Jill said, “I love my husband, so how could I not take care of his mother? Sometimes it’s really hard, but my sister keeps telling me that the Lord has a crown waiting for me in heaven.”
Selflessness. It’s not something
we’re born with—quite the opposite. We begin life thinking the world revolves around us, and some of us still have a hard time with that in adulthood. But if we follow Jesus’ example, God will be pleased. He is faithful, and He will give us the grace we need to get through each situation.
Steps of Faith
Lord, when I am called to serve, let me do so in a way that will bring You glory. Help me to see others as You see them, and remind me that my reward is not here, but in Deeper Walk heaven. Mark 9:33-37
5
Learn to Respond Like Jesus
Letting Go
WWW.LIFEWAY.COM
of Grudges
SEPTEMBER 2011 U.S.A. $3.50
A WomAn’s Guide to intimAcy With God
Journey
®
Contents
V o l u m e 1 8 , N u mb eR 9 septembeR 2011
Editor’s Notes
Journey devotional magazine equips women to develop a daily walk with God and to serve Him in their homes, churches, and communities.
Check us out on Facebook at facebook.com/journeymagazine. Production & Ministry Team pamela Nixon Lead Editor tammy Drolsum paula A. Kirk susan Nelson Donna pennell Editors Chris Adams lorie l. Keene Jennifer mcCaman Contributing Editors michelle strickland Art Director Julie tozer Aldrich Operations Manager for Publishing pam Case Director of LifeWay Women Chris Adams Senior Lead Women’s Ministry Specialist
JOURNEY: A WOMAN’S GUIDE TO INTIMACY WITH GOD (IssN 1073-4473; Item 005075231) is a Christian women’s devotional magazine published monthly by lifeWay press®, one lifeWay plaza, Nashville, tN 37234, thom s. Rainer, president, lifeWay Christian Resources. Copyright © 2011 by lifeWay press®. How to Order Journey If you need help with an order, WRIte lifeWay Church Resources, Customer service Center, one lifeWay plaza, Nashville, tN 37234-0113. For subscriptions, FAX (615) 251-5818 or e-mAIl [email protected]. For bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address, FAX (615) 251-5933 or e-mAIl [email protected]. order oNlINe at www.lifeway.com/journey. mail address changes to Journey, same address. Subscription Pricing Annual individual subscription, $24.95 for one year (12 issues); $43.95 for two years (24 issues); $59.95 for three years (36 issues). please allow 6-8 weeks for arrival of first issue. bulk shipments mailed quarterly to one address when ordered with other literature, $1.55 each issue plus shipping. unless otherwise noted, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holman Christian standard bible®, Copyright © 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2009 by Holman bible publishers. used by permission. Holman Christian standard bible®, Holman Csb®, and HCsb® are federally registered trademarks of Holman bible publishers. Content is copyright © 2011 by Walk thru the bible ministries, Inc. Contents may not be reproduced in any form unless authorized in writing. printed in u.s.A. to investigate the possibility of advertising in Journey, e-mail [email protected]. Send questions/comments to: Editor, Journey • One LifeWay Plaza • Nashville, TN 37234-0175. Or make comments on the Web at www.lifeway.com. Cover photography © istockphoto. Devotional page art by istockphoto. backgrounds by shutterstock and istockphoto.
5 8 16 30 38
Devotionals Week One Week Two Week Three Week Four Week Five
4
etc.
7
Going Beyond
Cooler Weather Ahead Preparing Our Hearts to Hear
13 Great Prayers of the Bible A Gentile Mother’s Faith
14 Rightly Related
Humble Yourself Before God
20 Girl Talk
The Princess and the Toad
22 The Blessing of Forgiveness Healing Together
26 Café Connection Your Church Family
29 Frazzled Female
Learning to Respond Like Jesus
35 Letting Go of Grudges
Examine Your Heart
36 Stretching Your Faith
{
Blessings in Disguise
For individual or gift subscriptions or church bulk orders, go to: www.lifeway. com/journey
Thursday, September 1
A Crown Sitting down, He called the Twelve and said to them, “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35).
M y coworker Jill and her husband, Ed, are going through a dif-
ficult time. They’re caring for her mother-in-law, Audrey, who has Alzheimer’s. Jill told me about some of the challenges they face each day and how tiring it is being a caregiver. But she wasn’t complaining; she was just stating the facts. Their daily routine includes getting Audrey up in the morning and trying to get her focused long enough to dress herself properly. Then Jill and Ed drop her off at adult day care so they can go to work at their respective jobs. Long after most people have retired for the night, Jill and Ed may still be trying to get her mother-in-law in bed. Even after Audrey falls asleep, she may wake up several times before morning. Jill and Ed take turns getting up during the night to get Audrey to and from the bathroom, and sometimes they have to change her sheets in the middle of the night. As I listened to this sweet, godly woman tell me what her days and nights are like, I was humbled. I was not only aware of Jill’s selflessness in the face of some very difficult circumstances, but I wondered if I would have the same Christlike
attitude if I were in her shoes. If I had been my mother-in-law’s caretaker (she also suffered from Alzheimer’s), would I have handled it with such dignity and grace? Jill said, “I love my husband, so how could I not take care of his mother? Sometimes it’s really hard, but my sister keeps telling me that the Lord has a crown waiting for me in heaven.”
Selflessness. It’s not something
we’re born with—quite the opposite. We begin life thinking the world revolves around us, and some of us still have a hard time with that in adulthood. But if we follow Jesus’ example, God will be pleased. He is faithful, and He will give us the grace we need to get through each situation.
Steps of Faith
Lord, when I am called to serve, let me do so in a way that will bring You glory. Help me to see others as You see them, and remind me that my reward is not here, but in Deeper Walk heaven. Mark 9:33-37
5
