The binder you hold in your hand is a part of that effort. We want to encourage you to bring this binder with you EVERY SINGLE SUNDAY in 2020. There will be something to add to your binder EVERY Sunday. We have given each month in 2020 a Resilient theme (listed below). As you turn the pages of this binder you will find the months of January and February are already available to you. Near the end of February, you will find March and April on the back table for you to add to your binder. Then near the end of April, you will find the next two months…and so on.
Each month is going include at least six things… (all of these resources have been written by your brothers and sisters here at Beltline)
- Each week of every month there will be ONE devotion that is designed for you as a parent/grandparent, etc. to walk through with your children. For middle and high schoolers there is a devotion for them typically written by someone their age. We want to encourage you to take advantage of these resources and be consistent with your family time.
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- There will be ONE resource for you to read each week of every month. We hope that you will find some time to spend reading these Resilient Resources and praying to God.
- On top of these resources, each month may have some special/unique additional writings from many of our members that we believe will be a great blessing to your faith and growing that faith.
- All of these resources will also be available in a digital format and we want to HIGHLY encourage you to share them across your social media platforms.
- Additionally, there will be videos available on a regular basis for you to watch and share that revolve around our monthly Resilient Themes.
There is NO DOUBT that Scripture can have an amazingly positive impact on individuals, families, and society. In fact, did you know that a recent survey that surveyed 100,000 people over 8 years, showed that those who engage the Bible four or more times a week experienced far less destructive behavior? 62% less drunkenness, 59% less pornography, 59% less sexual sin, and 45% less gambling to name only a few. The positive message of scripture allowed individuals to reduce bitterness by 40%, destructive thoughts by 32%, isolation by 32%, inability to forgive by 31%, and loneliness by 30%!
Here is the bottom line: Bible engagement improves your self-esteem, family structure, and social interactions. It is the SINGLE MOST POWERFUL predictor of spiritual growth! We want to get serious about engaging scripture in 2020! Resilient faith begins with time in the word of God.
So, with all that in mind… Here are the 12 Resilient Themes for the year:
- January – Resilient: Looking Ahead – Philippians 3:13-14
- February – Resilient Love and Unity – 1 Corinthians 13:13
- March – Resilient in the Word – 2 Timothy 2:15
- April – Resilient in our Actions – Galatians 6:10
- May – Resilient in our SelfLESSness – Philippians 2:4
- June – Resilient with your Influence – Matthew 5:13-16
- July – Resilient with your Time – Ephesians 5:16
- August – Resilient at work/school – Colossians 3:23
- September – Resilient in Prayer – 1 Thessalonians 5:17
- October – Resilient in Sharing Faith – Philemon 1:6
- November – Resilient in Thankfulness – Colossians 3:15
- December – Finishing Well: Resilient to the End – Revelation 2:10
We are so excited and can’t wait to see how God uses these resources and this Resilient theme to grow our faith. As with anything, this will be a blessing to you as much as you are willing to engage with it. So, the ball is in your court!!!
Prayerfully,
Steve Smith