Weekly Challenges & Resources for Rest & Release

September 23, 2017

by Courtney

For those who have joined me, each fall, for the Making Your Home a Haven Series– that series is being replaced this year, with a study titled: Rest and Release. This study is “Making Your Home a Haven 2.0″. It’s going to be even BETTER than past years because we are mixing the familiar challenges WITH a study of God’s Word. This is going to be SO good!

Do you struggle to find rest for your soul, on the hamster wheel of life?

Do you feel like your load – your portion in life – is a bit too heavy and wonder what God is doing or why you must struggle and wrestle so much?

Do you wish you could just release it all?

Me too.

Below is the list of challenges so you can prepare. Each week, I will provide for you a practical challenge of something I do in my home that helps me rest and live blessed. I hope you will take the challenges. They do make a difference!

Weekly Challenges:

Week 1: Stop

Go buy an extra large candle and light your candle everyday in your home. Each time the glimmer of the candle catches your eye, stop and say a prayer for peace.

I will be starting my candle in the morning but you can start yours at dinnertime or whenever is convenient for you. I will be placing mine in the kitchen – the main hub of my home.

Week 2: Receive God’s Love

Go pick a bouquet of flowers from your garden or a nearby field or buy yourself a small bouquet. Each time you see the flowers, be reminded of God’s love for you.

I will be purchasing a small bouquet from my grocery store and placing it in a vase, in my kitchen.

Week 3: Release

Determine to sing to the Lord this week.

I have a playlist I have created titled “worship music” on my iPhone. I’ll be listening to it on the treadmill, in the car and in my kitchen on my blue tooth speaker and I may or may not be belting out songs to Jesus in the shower. 😉

Week 4: Rest

Determine to sleep extra long one night this week or to take a nap or a bubble bath. This is not pampering. This is meeting your God given need for rest.

Since I have overachiever tendencies, I am going to try to do all three this week. 🙂

Resources

The Study Guide is optional as I will provide for you the daily Bible Reading Plan and many free resources each week here on the blog. BUT I highly recommend the Study Guide as it is not just a journal. It provides for you a daily devotional that is not found here on the blog plus, a place to keep all of your reflections, prayers and video notes in one place.

Order your Bible Study Journal NOW
to get it in time for the start of our study!

This journal is available exclusively on Amazon
in both Paperback and Kindle.

Inside the journal you will find:

*The Weekly Challenges
*Daily Devotionals
*An explanation of how to use the signature S.O.A.K. method of the GMG’s
*The GMG Coloring Chart
* The Verse of the Day each day
*A Reflection Question for each day
* Blank space for SOAKing in your scripture reading for the day
*Space to take notes on the videos

Printable Bible Bookmark

Printable Bible Coloring Bookmark

Signature GMG SOAK Bible Study Method

Video explaining the Bible Coloring and SOAK Methods of Study

Here are the highlighters, pens and pencils I mentioned in the video:

Highlighters – Acid Free – Bible Hi-Glider
Fine Line Non-bleeding Pens – Micron Archival Ink and Multi-Colored Gel Pens
Colored Pencils – Crayola Twistables and Crayola Colored Pencils
I use the ESV Inductive Study Bible as my personal study Bible.

Printable SOAK Pages

This is for those who are not purchasing the Bible Study Guide. This is not the same as the Study Guide on Amazon – these pages have been created for low-cost printing on a home printer and do not include the Introduction, Daily Devotionals, Weekly Challenges, Verses of the Day or Reflection questions.

Blog and Social Media Schedule

Blog

Mondays – All of the Free Resources for the week including the Daily Reflections Questions, printable Verses of the Day and Weekly Challenges will be posted.

Wednesdays – they’ll be a devotional here on the blog.

Fridays – they’ll be a Friday wrap-up video here on the blog.

Instagram

On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, the verses of the day along with encouragement for your study will be posted on the Women Living Well Instagram.

Share pictures of your candles, flowers, playlists and favorite places to rest on Instagram by using the hashtags: #RestAndRelease #WomenLivingWell and #GoodMorningGirls

Facebook

On Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays, I’ll be posting the assigned reading of the day at 7:00amEST and an open discussion takes place there. Check it out! It’s wonderful! Go to Good Morning Girls Facebook Page here.

Jesus said in John 14:27 “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled.”

Are you in?

If you are – it’s time to prepare for the first challenge by going out and purchasing a large candle.

What’s the scent of your candle? I just finished a Yankee Candle that is Salted Caramel and now I’m burning Pumpkin Donut – mmmmmm.

I’ll be using the hashtag
#RestAndRelease
on Instagram.

I invite you to use it too so we can all connect there!

{Special Note to GMG Leaders: If you have room in your group –
please leave a link to your group in the comment section – thank you!!!}

There are no sign-ups or enrollments.

See you back here on October 1st as we begin!

Don’t forget to invite your friends!

Walk with the King,

Courtney