Archives for March 2021

Passion Week: A Palm Sunday Reflection

March 28, 2021

Scripture for Today

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you;righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” Zechariah 9:9 (ESV)

“The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” And Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, just as it is written, ‘Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your king is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt!’ His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him. The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign.” John 12:12-18

Things to Think About

The prophet Zechariah foretold what was coming more than 500 years before Jesus entered Jerusalem. Branches waved and people cheered for the the man riding into town on a donkey.

As much as Palm Sunday is supposed to be a celebration, I feel somewhat pained and contemplative when it comes each year.

The truth is, those same people who welcomed the king may have been the very ones who chanted to free Barabbas and ogle at Jesus’ death only days later. They called him “Hosanna” and blessed him upon arrival, but mocked him at his crucifixion.

Many of God’s people praised the man who’d just raised Lazarus from the dead, but completely missed their Messiah.

And it makes me wonder what we’re missing, too – What we may misinterpret, misunderstand, and shout from the bandwagon just because it’s what others are doing. How may we, too, be misguided – Looking for the king of signs and wonders – the God of provision – but missing the miracle of His sacrifice and salvation?

So today, on Palm Sunday, let’s ask the tough questions. Let’s do the hard study. Let’s spend time with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit as we seek to understand who He truly is.

Let’s know the King who rides into our lives asking that we give Him in His rightful place.

May we be people who recognize the One who saves and submit our lives to His glory.

About the Author: Lisa Da Silva is a wife, mom of two teenagers, and advocate for women to love God with their heart, soul and mind as they engage in responsible study of His Word. She writes, speaks, and teaches the Bible to anyone who will read or listen.

Lisa is a teacher by trade and passion, voice for the marginalized, recovering striver, and lover of simplicity, authenticity, and all things pretty. She enjoys thrift store shopping and often has to convince people she’s an introvert. Just a loud one.

Loving Jesus and making Him known really is her everything.

“Guarding My Heart: A Sixteen Year Old’s Thoughts on Creating and Surrendering to Gatekeepers” by Arden Windus

March 17, 2021

A couple years ago I was a part of a very toxic friend group. They were very two-faced and deceptive. I started to realize this half way through my eighth-grade year and after seeing the signs it all went downhill. I didn’t want to do all the things they started doing, so they started saying nasty things about me. Instead of letting it get to my head, I decided to start reading a devotional. It helped me work through all the painful behaviors that were going on and walk away from this group.

Now one thing that I do every morning to guard my heart is read from a daily devotional. The one I really love is “Devotions for the Soul Surfer,” by Bethany Hamilton. It is super relatable and I just love the way she has written it. Like most devotionals, it includes scripture alongside stories of her past experiences. Many are stories from when she was a teenager that encourage and inspire me to stay on my path with God. Reading through a daily devotional really helps me get into a good mood for the day and refreshes my mind. I definitely see a difference in myself after I read Scripture – I just feel like a happier, better version of myself.

This time also gives me a positive perspective of the world around me. So many things we encounter are out of our control. I stay close to God through reading my Bible along with the devotional. Doing these things reminds me of His promise to give me hope and a future and keeps me grounded. It equips me to be quick to forgive and see the best in others. It is currently teaching me how to define healthy boundaries with individuals I am around regularly and to choose my friends carefully – Reminding me to spend time with those who are like-minded, positive and who desire to walk with God, that care about me and my future, as much as I care about theirs.

I also think it’s important to receive what God promises us now. I not only believe in His plan for my future, but spending time with Him daily reminds me that He cares about my present life as well. He wants me to have a good life, good friends, good experiences, as well as peace – Free from anxiousness, stress and unnecessary troubles. The Bible says there will always be trials and tribulation, but those of us who have Jesus should find peace in Him.

Last month, my mom shared her thoughts about guarding her children’s hearts on this website (link here). As a teenager, it’s not always easy to accept what she thinks is best for me. Some of the toughest times are when I would like to go somewhere and she and my dad wont’ let me. They do explain why, whether it is unsafe, unhealthy or they do not know whom I will be with, but it is still hard to accept. Having parents who have rules and boundaries is going to impact me for the better when I am an adult. They have put guidelines around me since I was young that have helped me develop trust in myself and in God. By obeying them, they see that I am able to make good decisions and am trustworthy. When I mess up, they are there to help me reflect on it and learn from my mistakes. They teach me to discern what is right in more mature situations to come.

Even though some of their rules are frustrating right now, I’m going to be thankful for them keeping me from things and teaching me to recognize things that could take me down the wrong path and affect my future.

Resources I Recommend

Who Do You Think You Are: A 21 Day Journal for Teens by Ardren’s mom, Jen Windus – Available to purchase by emailing Jen. Inquire here.
The Bible App

Scriptures That I Lean On

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for a time of adversity.” Proverbs 17:17

“God alone, who gave the law, is the Judge. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to judge your neighbor?” James 4:12

About The Author, Arden Windus:

I’m 16. I play soccer & love to ski, even though I hate the cold. I believe that life is short, so you do the things that you really love and be kind. My favorite colors are lavender and sage green. My absolute favorite place in the world is Hawaii!!

“You Really Can Start Reading Your Bible: Tips and Testimony from a Middle Schooler” by Kate Kesler

March 10, 2021

Saved from Near

As a just-turned 14 year old, I have been going to church my whole life. However, I didn’t experience a relationship with God until I was in middle school, even though I was baptized at age 6. It was at my first church camp in 6th grade that I discovered that true joy comes from God and nothing else in the world. That’s when I truly started my faith walk and committed to following Him.

Testing of Faith

But having faith wasn’t always easy. I have had hard times and I know there will be hard times ahead. Through my difficult experiences, God showed me ways to encourage myself and others. I found a family in my church youth group, and was able to go early every week to help wherever I was needed. Serving others, seeing them smile and appreciate what I do, made me so happy. No matter what stress was in my mind at the time, I just felt loved. I also found so many friends at church who encourage me in everything. They have held my hand while I cry happy tears and sad tears. As I walked my walk of faith, the raw and vulnerable way, God gifted me with wise people, good family members who care for me, and challenging questions that have caused me to grow. He showed me how I needed to pray more and worry less, and prayer became my communication with God. Even with all of this, I just felt ready for more. I’d been feeling a little distant from my faith during online school, so on whim decided to start reading my Bible.

Knowing His Word

I had always viewed reading my Bible as insignificant or too hard to me. But as I committed to reading, it started to become a daily habit and I felt God spurring me on. I never really realized how much I would love it, and how much joy and peace it would bring to my life.

I totally understand how reading your Bible can feel like another item on your to-do list, but it’s not supposed to be a chore. Digging into the Word is a gift from God, and that time is meant to be cherished. Getting into a daily habit requires patience – It’s like getting strong in sports or learning a new skill. If you want to get good at it, you need to be willing to commit to actively making the effort to form a new habit.

Remember, through your journey, that reading your Bible doesn’t have to look one specific way. Everyone has different preferences and ways on how they get into the Bible. How you read, take notes, and learn will be different for everyone. That’s totally ok! It’s intimate and unique because it’s how God wants you to comprehend His love.

Here are some strategies and ideas I used to start reading and understanding the Word on my own.

Ways to Engage with the Word of God

How to Get Into Your Bible Idea #1

This is the strategy I use:

Open your Bible to the table of contents.
Then go through each book, writing down books that you want to read, names you recognize, or a title that sparks your interest. Don’t worry about getting all the books you want written down, just start with the first ones that catch your eye.
Choose one book that you wrote down and read the first chapter, or even a few sentences, just read at your own pace.
Highlight questions, add notes to the margins, or underline things or people that are familiar. But just read, annotate, and ask questions. Find a style of note-taking that works for you. Don’t be afraid to use a journal if that works better for notes, instead of writing in your actual Bible.

The way I do my study is to highlight wisdom or things that make sense, write questions and notes in the margins, and always read a chapter a day. The reason this works so well for me is because I get to choose what to read, what I note, and what to ask. Being a person who likes being able to choose how I spend time with God makes my time much more fruitful.

How to Get Into Your Bible Idea #2

Accountability is a huge part of reading your Bible. Here are some ways that help keep your attention in the word:

If you are in online school, and start later in the day, make the first piece of work you do reading your Bible.
Text a trustworthy friend, small group leader, or adult. Ask them to check in with you daily, asking if you have read your Bible.
Set a few alarms on your device. Try to keep yourself responsible to stay on schedule and read around the alarm time.
If you plan your days in any way, add Bible reading to your day. Pick a time to give your undivided attention to the Bible. I read my Bible either in the morning before the day gets busy or in the afternoon when I find some alone time.

Don’t beat yourself up if you have a hard time getting into a rhythm of actively and daily opening your Bible. Let yourself into it slowly and let God do the teaching.

How to Get Into Your Bible Idea #3

It’s ok not to know what to do, sometimes you have to let go of your need to have the answer and let God decide what you are going to read. This is hard, no doubt about it, but we all have to start somewhere.

Take time to pray. Ask God for help to give you a fruitful time. Wherever God wants you to be in the Bible, He will make it clear.
Open your Bible and begin reading the page wherever the first word pops out. Keep in mind that all Scripture is God breathed. Read 2 Timothy 3:16-17. Reflect on that verse.

If you happen upon a passage that doesn’t make much sense, pray. Ask to see if that is where you need to be, sometimes you need to read tricky things, but just ask for the guidance of God.

Finally, if you aren’t finding anything that interests you, open to Genesis 1:1 to learn about creation. If you love a good story open to Ruth 1:1. If you are looking for poetry and wisdom open to Proverbs 8:6-23. And if you are looking for answers about Jesus, look to Matthew 19:13-15.

The Benefit of Children’s Bibles

Have you ever read something in the Bible and thought, “Well, that was so confusing. I don’t think I’ll ever make sense of this book.” I know I definitely have. But I’ve found a hidden gem that has helped me understand the Bible incredibly, and it’s… a kids Bible. I have an Adventure Bible and HCSB Illustrated Study Bible for kids. They are so explanatory and have many underrated sources.

In my Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) there are colored maps, timelines, and pages that explain what a quiet time is and how different Bible verses can help with your different feelings. There are also charts that show how verses relate to different topics. This Bible helps me find things quickly and helps me learn how to really get the most from the Word.

My Adventure Bible has some helpful pages that help understanding the words on the page you’re reading. It has summaries of peoples’ lives, excerpts about what life was like in Bible times, tips for living out the Word, and highlighted sections with verses to treasure. I love this Bible because it explains and highlights the words right in front of you.

Both of these Bibles are simplified. If parts of my NIV don’t make sense, I gladly turn to my children’s Bible or my colored maps and timelines. They help me understand what I’m reading and learn what God needs me to know in that scripture.

My point is that kid’s Bibles have benefits for adults too! And any age for that matter! Don’t be afraid to look into a children’s Bible to seek an answer, simpler text, or new fact.

Kate’s Suggested Resources

About the Author, Kate Kesler:

I’m Kate, a creator at heart. I have a passion for baking, music, and Jesus.

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