Read: John 3:16-18, Ephesians 2:8-9

Summary: One of the core values of Sego Church is that Jesus Is Our Answer. We see this spelled out in the salvation story, which is rooted in His incredible love for us. John 3:16-18 emphasizes that God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to save us, not to condemn us. Our sin separated us from God and created a debt that we could not pay on our own. In His perfection, Jesus took on our sin debt to connect us to God. Once we accept the forgiveness of sin that Jesus offers and believe that He is the Son of God, we have received the gift of salvation and eternal life.

Ephesians 2:8-9 further explains that salvation is by grace through faith. It's not something we can earn through our efforts or good deeds; it's a gift freely given by God.

When I, Hannah, was a new driver, I accidentally backed my parents' car into a concrete barrier (oops). I was so afraid to tell my parents what had happened, so I went to my best friend's Dad and asked him what I should do. He helped me get matching paint and cover up the incident. Years later, I told my Dad about this when I was married. He smirked at me and said, "I knew the whole time." I was shocked. I had envisioned my Dad yelling, getting mad, and taking away my driving privileges. Instead, he gave me grace that I didn't even know about. I didn't do anything to earn it; I was a recipient of it because I was his daughter. That's what it's like to be a child of God. Even in our mess-ups and mistakes, we get to apply God's saving grace.

Journal: Reflect on God's immense love and the incredible gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Understand that this gift is unearned and freely given, emphasizing the grace and mercy of God. In your own words, write down why you're grateful for God's love and gift of salvation.

Read: Philippians 4:6-7, Matthew 6:5-15

Summary: One of the core values of Sego Church is that God's Presence Is Our Pursuit. Prayer is one of the ways we pursue God's presence and is our way of communicating with God. God wants us to bring all our thoughts, burdens, and anxieties to Him through prayer because He knows that prayer brings peace beyond our understanding. In Matthew, Jesus teaches us how to pray through the Lord's Prayer, encouraging us to offer our requests to God with thanksgiving because gratitude brings balance to our burdened hearts. Matthew also ends with the importance of extending forgiveness to others. Once we've encountered the forgiveness that God has offered to us, we then look to Him to help us show that forgiveness to others.

*An added note on forgiveness...Some things happened to me as a young child that took my innocence and left my heart wounded. I held on to that hurt for many years. But one night, at a church service, God revealed the depths of His loving forgiveness. I understood how desperately I needed His forgiveness and how great God's desire was for me to extend forgiveness to the one who had hurt me. At that moment, I prayed for forgiveness towards the one who caused the hurt and for an invisible burden to be lifted from my heart and my mind. If you are struggling to forgive, ask God to help you. He doesn't want you to live with the burden of unforgiveness.

Journal: Write down what you want to commit to praying about this week. Return to this list daily and read the names or situations out loud. You can also write down the names of people you need God's help forgiving. Practice communicating with God about the highs and lows of your day.

Read: Hebrews 11:1-12, 1 Peter 1:3-9

Summary: One of the core values of Sego Church is that Courageous Faith Is Our Response. That’s because faith is crucial in the life of a believer. Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. The Bible tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. The Bible is full of faith stories and faith heroes! As you continue reading the Bible and becoming familiar with the stories, you’ll understand that faith takes courageous action. God gives us opportunities to live by faith as we walk through trials. When we live by faith through our trials, God leads us to a greater understanding of joy. Your faith is a muscle that God will continue to strengthen as you put it to use. As you begin your faith journey, you will recognize that your assurance in God’s faithfulness is being tested. It’s through living out our conviction that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do (even though we can’t see Him) that our faith will grow!

Moving our family to Utah in 2019 to launch Sego Church was a massive step of faith. We didn’t know who would want to be a part of helping us plant a church, let alone attend our church. We didn’t know where we would live, where the paychecks would come from, or how our kids would adjust to a significant move at pivotal times in their lives. But we knew that God had spoken, and we were to take action. God spoke in our lives and created a vision of what could be if we were willing to follow Him into the unknown. The last five years have been some of the hardest years we have faced in our lives, yet tremendous joy has sustained us. Taking the steps of faith that God asks of you will not disappoint! As God speaks to you, let courageous faith be your response. God is for you, and we are for you!

Journal: Take time to reflect on some of your most complex challenges. How do you think your hardships and fears will be different now that you have the power of God to rely on?

Read: John 14:12-17, Galatians 5:16-26

Summary: One of the last things that Jesus promised his disciples was that he was going to leave them a helper so that the work they were doing with Jesus while he was on earth wouldn’t end when he returned to Heaven. The Holy Spirit is that helper, and the Holy Spirit wants to help you live out your faith in Jesus with power. You know when you’re living with the help of the Holy Spirit because of the fruit that is produced in your life, like Galatians 5 talks about. The Holy Spirit is with you, so when you call on the name of Jesus, you can trust that He is answering those prayers through the power of God’s Spirit that now lives in you! As a new believer in Jesus, you must learn to rely on the power of the Holy Spirit instead of your own strength. This takes a practiced discipline to not let your mind or body be the direction that you follow, but instead to be led by your Spirit.

When you were a newborn baby, you relied on your parents for everything. Without their care, protection, and provision, you would not have lasted long in your new life. The same is true as a new believer in Christ. If you approach your faith journey with Jesus with a childlike faith, and allow the Holy Spirit to counsel and care for you, you will not only survive in Christ, but you will thrive and begin to produce the fruit of the Spirit in your life. That is what sets us apart as children of God!

Journal: Take time to write down the fruits of the Spirit listed out in Galatians 5. Circle the fruits of the Spirit that you would like to produce more of in your life. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to give you the strength you need to grow this fruit in your life.

Read: Colossians 3:1-17, Romans 12:1-2

Summary: When you said Yes to following Jesus, you set your heart on His way. As believers, we are called to set our hearts and minds on the things that reflect Christ in our actions and attitudes. This involves renewing our minds with the word of God, and offering our lives as living sacrifices that are intent on making Jesus and His way the priority for our lives. A pastor once said that the problem with a living sacrifice is that it can easily wiggle its way off of the altar.

If we want to live a Christ-centered life, then we must continually keep our heart under examination and be willing to “put to death what is earthly.” The company we keep, the words we fill our head with through the books we read, songs we sing along to, and people we hang out with, it all impacts what comes out of us.

Once, while on a prayer retreat, I spent two days in a quiet setting listening to worship music, reading my Bible, and praying. I wanted to prioritize spending uninterrupted time with God. During one of my prayer times, I got a clear sense in my heart and mind that God was asking me to stop watching R-rated movies. I love watching all kinds of movies, and some of my favorite genres were wartime movies with a lot of swearing. God was asking me to take a step closer to him by releasing something of this world. I’ve done it, and I’m not disappointed! Making Christ a priority will require discipline and sacrifice, but it will never disappoint!

Journal: Write down any areas of your life that may need careful examination. Is the company you keep helping you grow in your relationship with Christ? Ask God, “Are there areas in my life that I need to put to death so that I can live closer to you?

Read: Matthew 28:16-20, Acts 1:8

Summary: Jesus has all authority in Heaven and on Earth, and with that authority He told His disciples to GO - make disciples in all of the nations. One of our greatest purposes on this Earth is to make Jesus known. To tell people everywhere that we can about His good news. We are on mission with Jesus to help people step out of darkness into light. You are now a disciple of Jesus, and as such you have been instructed by Him to tell your story of salvation and share the love of Jesus that you’re experiencing with others who are in desperate need of the same kind of life-changing, grace-giving, transforming love.

Sharing your faith with others isn’t dependent on your outgoing personality; rather, it’s dependent on the power of the Holy Spirit that is alive in you and ready to move through you!

Once while at a spa, I felt moved to share about the love of Jesus with the young girl that was working with me. I didn’t really know what to say, but I trusted that if I opened my mouth in obedience, God would take care of it. So, after the appointment was done, I looked her square in the eyes and said, “One of my purposes in life is to share the love of Jesus with as many people as I can, and today I sense that He wants you to know how deeply loved you are. And just like you use your hands to bring help to people, Jesus allowed His hands to be pierced and His body to be beaten so that you wouldn’t just be helped in this life, but saved from it. You are loved, and God is for you.” The young girl looked at me with big eyes and tears that wouldn’t fall and simply said Thank you! Do whatever you can, wherever you can, to show and tell people about the amazing love of Christ!

Journal: Who are the people in your life that need to hear about Jesus? What are ways that you think God is stirring your heart to share your faith?

Read: Romans 8:28, Jeremiah 29:11, Proverbs 3:5-6

Summary: You were born on purpose and for a purpose. Your life has never been a mistake, and now that you have put your belief in Jesus as your Lord and Savior, you will find greater purpose to fulfill. We are encouraged to trust in Him wholeheartedly, acknowledging that He works all things together for our good and guides our paths when we lean on Him.

Many years ago, I was in a small African country called Eswatini. Part of the trip included a guided safari tour. We were told we would see lions, rhinoceroses, elephants, zebras, giraffes, hippos, and other potentially dangerous animals. We were loaded into an open truck that had special sides that would protect us from animals. There were a few of us who were nervous riding off into the desert with very little to protect us, but the guide promised us he would keep us safe while at the same time helping us to experience the beauty of the land and animals. That day was amazing. We saw a pack of rhinos, a group of lions sleeping, and even a black mamba! It was perfect, and we were safe.

God has promised to lead us through this thing called life, which is full of beauty and danger. God’s word is our guide, and when we follow his instruction, we will experience the fullness of life and all He has created for us! We can trust in the Lord with all our heart and our life.

Journal: Choose one of the verses from the reading today and write it down. Let God’s word sink into your heart and mind as you meditate on it. Write down some promises from God that you’ve been learning about this week.