Day of Preparation
The Beauty of Transformation
Photo by Benjamin Voros on Unsplash
Good Morning Beauties!
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”
2 Corinthians 5:17 (NIV)
It’s a crisp Autumn morning in Minnesota. The Northern breeze causes the trees to dance and showers of gold cover the dark street below. The change from lush green to a tapestry of brilliant color magnifies the glory of our God. This change in creation is most welcomed and begins a season of thankfulness.
I pray our hearts are wide open and anticipating the transformation awaiting us on this Thanksgiving 40 Day Journey. As we increase in the knowledge of our true identity in Christ, we will move forward in gratitude to our beloved King.
There’s a reason you’re here. God has something magnificent planned for you. Let me begin by saying I admire your courage, strength and dedication to grow deeper in your relationship with God. We have a promise about our desire to seek God in Matthew 7:8, “ For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
I believe this 40 Day Journey experience is a “narrow gate” which leads to the Truth of God few people find as written in Matthew 7:13-14. “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”
How can we possibly navigate through this world without knowing who we really are? Without knowing the truth, the enemy fills our heads with lies. Our belief in them leads to our destruction. God desperately wants you to know the truth about who you are and who He created you to be, which will lead to a life of love, joy, and peace. A life of fulfillment. A life He died to give you.
As you can see, this journey is significant, and with anything of great importance, we must approach it with great intentionality. We must prepare for our journey. We will take time today to pray, search our hearts, and look at our expectations, obstacles, and motivations.
Let’s start by defining our expectations. What do you want to accomplish? What do you want God to do? What are you willing to do, to give, and to surrender in order for you to consider it a successful experience? Selah. (Stop and ponder)
Take time this morning to pray and ask God about these things. Find a place in your journal to write down your answers. You will want to refer back to them during your journey.
Next, we need to plan for obstacles along the way. Spend time in prayer asking God to reveal anything that may stand in your way of a smooth journey. I know from personal experience, as well as hearing from several women who’ve taken this journey, having a busy schedule is a big obstacle. You will need to make time for your journey experience. You’ll then need to create an action plan to overcome each of the road blocks you’ve identified.
Lastly, we’ll look at motivation. Why do you want to take this 40 Day Journey? What’s calling you to a deeper relationship with God? Has something changed? Do you find yourself in a valley and want to be brought out, or are you in a mountain top place in your life where you want to grow even closer to God? Is it somewhere in between?
I love the verse in Psalm 42:1 , “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God.” King David, often quoted as “the man after God’s own heart”, wanted to be in the presence of God and in deep relationship with Him more than anything else. Is that where you are? Longing for God? Longing for Truth?
Please write down your answers in your journal. Trust me, you will want to review your motivations, your “why” on those mornings when it’s hard to get out of bed and get to your journal. Let them remind you of all the reasons you’re taking the journey.
All of our journeys will be different, but we can all agree that today, as we begin, there is an uncertainty about where our journeys will take us. That’s okay. Do not fear. Though the experience is unknown, we do know the one who is leading us, and He will be with us to love and care for us the entire way.
The universal goal is change. We are asking God to reveal the lies we’ve been believing and replace them with His Truth. The battle is waged in our minds. Transformation occurs when we trust God and allow Him to change our thoughts. Are you ready for this kind of change? Selah.
Here’s a beautiful song that allows us to humbly bring our grateful hearts to our glorious Jesus as we begin our journey with Him.
“Gratitude” - Brandon Lake
Please know I’m praying for you, and I believe in you!
Love and Blessings,
Kendra
“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will.”