Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.

Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.

Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.

Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.

Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.

Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.

Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.

Passage Luke 9:1-6

What does it say and mean?
Jesus gathers his twelve disciples together and sends them out to preach the good news.

How does it apply?
I am also on a mission with Jesus and need to preach the good news to those around me. I know I need to have a heart for the lost and a desire to reach out to them. I confess that I don’t always think about those who don’t have a relationship with God or even pray for them.

How does it empower?
This passage, as well as New City’s mission statement to bring the whole gospel to Hamilton until Hamilton is whole, challenges me pray for those who do not know Jesus and to take every opportunity to share the wonderful story of Jesus and His love.

Prayer
Father, give me a heart that is burdened for the lost and the desire to share the gospel with those who do not know you. Give me the courage and the boldness to speak to others about what God has done and is doing in my life and to share with them about your amazing love and grace. Amen

Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.

Passage Luke 8: 22-25

What does it say and mean?
Jesus told his disciples to get in the boat and sail to the other side of the lake and they obeyed him. But even with Jesus in the boat, they became afraid when the storm rose and cried out to him in desperation for help.

How does it apply?
When Jesus sends us, we must obey him. He will send us into waters that are not always calm. Storms, hard times in our lives will come but we must be always ready to serve him wherever he sends us and know for certain that he goes with us and leads us.

How does it empower?
When Jesus sends me, he will go with me. He has given me his Holy Spirit to live in me, guide me. Knowing that he will never leave me gives me the courage to trust & obey. He is the perfect light for my path.

Prayer
Father, I thank you creating me in your image and also for sending me into your world. I confess I so often am afraid of the storms of life and wish I could sail through life on calm waters. Help me to trust in you to guide & navigate me through the storms of life and to bring me at last to eternal safety in Jesus. AMEN.

Over the next three months, a group of people from New City will be posting their personal entries from their discipleship journals as we begin our community-wide Bible reading initiative. We will post their entries the evening of the scheduled readings. The purpose of sharing these personal entries is twofold:

• To demonstrate how simple & normal it can be to spend time reading & praying through the Bible, especially for those who find such an exercise strange and unfamiliar
  To encourage & build up our church family by sharing what people are personally learning & applying through Scripture
• We encourage you not only to read these entries over the next few months, but also to interact actively with them by way of the comments section at the bottom of each entry. Please keep your comments courteous and considerate at all times.