Hello Discipleship Planner Family!

Whether you have been using the discipleship planner for a few months or are just getting started with it, we are so excited to see how the Lord uses this amazing tool in your life!!!  Starting anything new can be a challenge, so don't be discouraged if it doesn't go perfectly.  It is our prayer that God will use the discipleship planner in your life to help you grow more consistent and intentional in your relationship with Him and with the people, time, and resources He has put in your life! We know each of you will use the planner in different ways and for different things, so just use the sections in it that best fit your context and season of life. We've intentionally created it to be adaptable for different uses. We encourage everyone to start with these 3 Specific-Attainable-Measurable (S-A-M) goals below that we intentionally made space for on the daily pages.

"We MUST arrange our days--our morning routines, our daily habits, our schedules and budgets and relationships, the entire web of our lives--so that we are deeply enjoying everyday life with God." -John Mark Comer

1) SPEND AT LEAST 30 MINUTES A DAY WITH THE LORD IN SCRIPTURE AND PRAYER

For any relationship to grow it takes spending time with each other and it's no different in our relationship with God.  Satan wants to do all he can to keep you busy and distracted, so that you don't get any intentional time with the Lord on a consistent basis.  So make it point to find a time and place each day that you can be alone with the Lord, reading His Word and praying. We encourage you to write down your prayers (or at least in list form) and the scriptures that speak to you along with any practical application or analogies that come to mind.  Our hope, of course, is that your time with God won't be limited to these daily sheets, but this discipline will initiate a deeper abiding with Him throughout your whole day. 

“Like newborn babies crave the pure spiritual milk of God's Word so that by it you may grow once you've been saved." - 1 Peter 2:2

DEVO AND BIBLE READING PLAN

2) MEMORIZE ONE VERSE A WEEK

Each time Jesus is tempted by Satan in Matthew 4, He responds to Satan's lies and deception with the truth of Scripture that He has memorized.  The greatest weapon we have to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12) is the truth of God's Word, yet so many Christians fail to "hide God's Word in their heart so that they may not sin against Him." (Psalm 119:11)  Just by writing the same memory verse each day for a week you can easily memorize 1 verse a week, which will add up to 52 new verses a year!

Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. - Matthew 4:4

IMPORTANCE OF SCRIPTURE MEMORY

3) GIVE THANKS FOR SOMETHING DAILY

The best attitude is one of gratitude!  Due to our sinful nature we are prone to look at everything we don't have and develop a heart of envy, lust, jealousy, and greed.  Yet, God wants us to look at everything He has given us and develop a heart of thankfulness.  Think of something each day in your life or in creation you are thankful for and write it down.  Start with one thing or fill in the whole box!  Again, we hope this initiates a heart of gratitude throughout your whole day.  This simple habit can transform you life!

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in all things give thanks; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

BENEFITS OF GIVING THANKS