CONTENTS
BELIEVE 28 H E S HALL B E C ALLED 39 S CRIPTURE C ARDS 44 W AITING FOR G OD TO A NSWER Y OUR P RAYERS
WORSHIP 60 F REEDOM IN W ORSHIP 63 P RAYER C ARDS 66 D AILY W ORSHIPPING T HE K ING OF G LORY 70 A T HRILL OF HO PE
ATTRIBUTES OF GOD 90 D EVO S ERIES 99 P RAYER C ARDS
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SOUL INSPIRED 130 D OODLES 101 128 W ORDSEARCH 133 J OURNALING T EMPLATES / C OLORABLE B OOKMARKS
UNLOCKING THE BIBLE L ETTER XX W RITING A L EGACY Darlene Schacht, Time Warp Wif 12 U NDERSTANDING B IBLE T RANSLATIONS 126 H ELPING K IDS G ROW IN T HEIR B IBLE K NOWLEDGE T HROUGH P LAY
FEATURES 14
B EYOND THE C HRISTMAS P AGENT Lori Ann Wood
104 T HE M OST E XTRAVIGANT V ALENTINES D AY Karen Friday
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CONTENTS
NEW YEAR 46 P ERMISSION TO P ROSPER IN THE N EW Y EAR : C REATING H EALTHIER H APBITS 50 I N EED O NE T HING — S IMPLICITY 54 M Y O NE W ORD
SOUL CARE 18 S ETTING B OUNDARIES FOR THE H OLIDAYS 20 W HEN G RIEF S TEELS C HRISTMAS
FAITH-FULL FELLOWSHIP 110 O N T HE M ENU : S IMPLICITY 112 M AKE - N -T AKE R ECIPES 118 S IMPLE H OSPITALITY 122 H OSPITALITY D OESN ’ T H AVE TO BE C OMPLICATED
IN EVERY ISSUE 6 A L ETTER F ROM THE E DITORS 10 S CRIPTURE R EADING L ISTS 65 C OMMUNITY B UZZ 42 E NCOURAGEMENT C ALENDAR 78 F ICTION S ERIES :L OVE P EACE & S ECOND C HANCES 137 R ESOURCES 140 O UR P RAYER
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MITZI NEELY Content Director / Editor In Chief JANA KENNEDY-SPICER Art Director / Crea ve Editor STEPHANIE K ADAMS Community Coordinator JODIE BARRETT Bible Study Coordinator TYANNE RAKOWITZ Business Administrator
Sweet To The Soul FAITH - The Splendor Journal Copyright © 2021 by Sweet To The Soul Ministries All rights reserved. www.SweetToTheSoul.com ISBN: 978-1-953718-12-9 Sweet To The Soul Ministries PO Box 785 Royse City, Tx 75189 No part of this publica on may be reproduced, distributed, or transmi ed in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior wri en permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quota ons embodied in cri cal reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permi ed by copyright law. For inquiries and permission request, contact through website: www.SweetToTheSoul.com Unless noted otherwise, all scripture quota ons are taken from the “ESV”, The Holy Bible, English Standard Version Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edi on: 2011 Scripture quota ons marked “NIV” are taken from The Holy Bible: New Interna onal Version, NIV Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblicia, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. To order copies of this issue and access addi onal resources, visit www.swee othesoulFAITH.com To inquire about ordering in quan es of 10 or more, please email info@swee othesoul.com For informa on regarding adver sement opportuni es, please email info@swee othesoul.com
CONTENT CONTRIBUTORS: Stephanie K Adams, Real Women Ministries Jodie Barre , Faithfully Following Ministries J. E. Berry, J. E. Berry Speaks Kris ne Brown, More Than Yourself Sue Carroll, Doodles 101 Ellen Chauvin, Soaked and SprouƟng Sue Moore Donaldson, Her View From Home Natalia Drumm, A Wife Like Me Karen Friday, Karen “Girl” Friday Carmen Horne, Women’s Hope Coach Christa Hutchins, Do A New Thing Lisa Johnson, Thank Goodness It’s Recess Elaine Lankford, Transforming Love Ministries Amy Elaine Mar nez, Amy Elaine Ministries, Past to Power Podcast Mitzi Neely, Peacefully Imperfect Ministries Michelle Nietert, Your Mental Health Coach Cyndee Ownbey, Women’s Ministry Toolbox Melanie Davis Porter, Courage to Endure Tyanne Rakowitz Melanie Redd, melanieredd.com Diana Rockwell Jodi Melissa Slaughter Jana Kennedy Spicer, Sweet To The Soul Ministries Rachel Stallard Mary Kathryn Tiller, New Mercies for Moms Tisha Walker Lori Wood, loriannwood.com ARTWORK CONTRIBUTORS: Sue Carroll, doodles101 Jana Kennedy Spicer PHOTOGRAPHY CONTRIBUTORS: Terri Hill
Unless otherwise noted, artwork, graphics and photography licensed stock images.
FOLLOW SWEET TO THE SOUL on facebook: @Sweet.To.The.Soul.Ministries on Instagram @jana_swee othesoul
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Welcome, Friends, to the Splendor Journal! Winter is my other favorite season of the year. While I look forward to the chill in the air and the occasional dus ng of snow, the real reason for the season is the birth of Jesus Christ and all things Christmas; it's the me to welcome a new year that brings fresh starts and new chances, and it's the opportunity to celebrate the month of love pa erned a er God's love for us. As you dive into this issue, you will see why the word splendor was chosen. The defini on of splendor means magnificence, brilliance, pomp, glory, grandeur, and light. The content in this beau ful journal depicts the theme on so many levels, from devo onals focusing on the A ributes of God to feature stories shining a light on worship, to the encouragement calendar, and more. Genesis 1:3-4 says, "And God said, "Let there be light," and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and He separated the light from the darkness." Can you imagine the explosion of light at the beginning of me as well as the sheer brilliance of the magnificent star that shone over Bethlehem when Christ was born? I pray you will use this journal to meditate on the goodness and promises of Jesus as you draw near to Him. Find your happy place, grab a cup of joe or hot cocoa, and celebrate Him with thanksgiving and gladness, sing praises of holy splendor to His Name, and spend quiet me with Him. I promise you'll be joyfilled in the rela onship you cul vate with Jesus, the ‘Light of the World.’
Blessings to you! The book featured in our photo is “He Shall Be Called: A Devotional Series About The Names of Jesus Foretold by Isaiah”. Available from Amazon or at SweetToTheSoulShoppe.com 6
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It’s the most wonderful time of the year. Can’t you just hear the music? When we think about the winter season we automa cally think Christmas. Can’t you just see an image of sparkling lights and a young child’s face full of awe and wonder?
Photo by Terri Hill on location at Designs by Dylan, Longview, Tx
While envisioning this sight, it struck me, do we look at Christ with the same awe? Have we made God so casually approachable that we’ve lost our ability to see the splendor of who God really is? Do we enter his presence like we’re mee ng a friend at Chick-Fil-A or as Moses did, having his countenance physically changed from being in the presence of God’s glory? (Exodus 33-34) In this Winter issue of Sweet To The Soul FAITH, we will explore what we believe about Jesus by looking at the names he is given in Isaiah; we will study what Scripture teaches us about the a ributes of God; and we will talk about worship in a new way which moves us beyond music to understanding that all we say and do is a worship offering to our Heavenly Father. There’s all that and lots more! As you read through The Splendor Journal I pray you meet with God in a wonderful and fresh way, that you find encouragement as you move into the new year and that you are richly blessed by the words of our authors.
Blessings,
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I stood in the aisle of the local bookstore as my eyes scanned the line of Bibles. Three shelves stacked with different Bibles. Hard cover, so cover, floral prints, large print, slim format, NIV, ESV, KJV, NLT, Women’s Bibles, Study Bibles, Amplified Bibles and Catholic Bibles. My mind raced and anxiety mounted. All I wanted was a new Bible for the women’s Bible study group I was going to start a ending. What if I buy the wrong Bible? Is it even possible to buy a wrong kind of Bible? Why do Catholics have a different Bible? I had grown up in church. How was it possible that I didn’t know what kind of Bible to buy for myself?
Understanding Bible Translations NATALIA DRUMM
If you’ve ever wondered about all the different types and translaons of the Bible, rest assured, you are not alone. Take a deep breath and relax. Bible transla ons are important, but they’re not the most important. The most important thing is that we read the Bible. As my seminary professor said when we studied the nuances of transla ons and theology, “The best Bible transla on you can buy is the one you’ll actually read.” So, let’s start at the beginning. The original language of Scripture is Hebrew in the Old Testament and Aramaic or Greek for the New Testament. As Chris ans, when we speak about the Bible being the “inerrant Word of God” what we mean is the original wri ng of Scripture is without error, inspired by God, and wri en by the hands of human writers as commanded by God. Bible transla ons come into play through the centuries as the Scriptures are copied and dispersed among the people. Language translators take the original language of Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic and then translate the words into the language it’s to be read in. The first transla on of Scripture is called the Septuagint, which is the Hebrew Old Testament translated into Greek. This was established by the second century BC.
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Jerome, in the 5th Century AD, translated the Hebrew and Greek into La n which became the LaƟn Vulgate (the official Bible of the Roman Catholic Church). This Bible contains 7 extra books not included in the Protestant Bible and called Apocryphal Books––these books tell of historical events that happened in the 400 years of silence from God to the prophets, so they are considered “ecclesias cal” (good for the church) but not inspired by God. Hence why they aren’t included in Protestant Bibles.
TYPES OF TRANSLATIONS Word-for-Word Transla ons: in these Bible translaons the theologians and linguis c scholars are looking to find the exact English word that best matches the original Hebrew or Greek word in the original text. These transla ons include the King James Version, New King James Version, New American Standard Bible and English Standard Version.
As kingdoms shi ed, and the language of the people shi ed from one language to another, it became evident to leaders in the church that the people needed the Word of God. The problem was that the only copies of the Bible were in languages the people didn’t speak. During the Reforma on, some, such as Mar n Luther, translated por ons of Scripture into German for the people, and Wycliff translated the Bible into English in 1400 but it contained errors. Tyndale came along with a desire to provide an English transla on for the people and completed the work of Wycliff to correct errors in transla on, and get the Word of God into the hands of people in the language they spoke.
Though-for-Thought Transla ons: in these Bible transla ons the scholars take the original text in the original language and break down the thoughts being conveyed, then translate those phrases of text into the English language to convey the idea while not worrying about the exact word that matches it in the new language. Think of how one would translate an idiom, or regional saying, from English into Spanish. The word-to-word transla on may not make sense to the speaker of Spanish, so the translator may take the general idea from the phrase in English and translate into Spanish so the hearer can understand the meaning and not just the word.
Which gets us to the English version of Scripture we have in our hands today. The Bible in your home is a translitera on. That means it was taken from the original language and translated into English, but because not everything in one language has an equal transla on in another language, the words are transliterated to convey the accurate meaning in the language it’s being read in. Which is how we get to so many different versions of Bible transla ons on the shelves of our bookstores today.
These transla ons include the New Interna onal Version, New Living Transla on, and Chris an Standard Bible.
Because languages differ and not everything translates from one language to another, translators are faced with the task of ge ng the original meaning of the original text conveyed into the new language. So, our Bibles today are translated in a word-for-word transla on, a thought-for-thought transla on, or a paraphrase transla on––hence all our versions.
Paraphrase Transla ons: in these Bible transla ons scholars take the stories of Scripture and retell them in conversa onal or narra ve form to break down the meaning in simplis c terms of the most common form of the language. They can be great to help give idea of the meaning, but are less accurate in regard to the original form of the text because they are being retold in modern language rather than simply transla ng a word from one language to another. These versions are popular for younger readers or new readers to Scripture. These transla ons include: The Message, New Interna onal Readers Version, and Contemporary English Version.
NATALIA DRUMM is is a graduate student at Dallas Theological Seminary and founder and creator of Girlfriends in the Word™ where she leads Bible study groups and produces study books and resources for busy women to grow in God’s Word. She also writes for Lifeway Women, A Wife Like Me and Sweet to the Soul. Visit her website at
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Waiting for God toAnswer Our Prayers ELAINE LANKFORD
ARE YOU STILL HOLDING THE LINE FOR GOD’S ANSWER? Whenever ques ons come up about wai ng on God to answer our prayers, I think about the Apostle Paul. Why Paul specifically? Because Paul prayed a great deal, and the Bible is clear that there were mes when he waited quite a period of me for God’s answer. There were also mes that his prayers went completely unanswered. And yet Paul never turned from God, never ceased con nuing to pray to God, and learned to be content in the interim. Don’t get me wrong. I am sure there were mes when Paul wondered how long it would be before God answered or why God never answered some prayers. He was human a er all. But Paul is one of our best role models for wai ng on God. It was Paul who encouraged the believers in Thessalonica to: “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT I don’t think it is a coincidence that Paul sandwiched his instruc on to “never stop praying”
between being joyful and thankful. Clearly, he was signaling that our wai ng on God was directly related to our outlook on life. However, let’s look at the Jewish people as a whole, most notably in the Old Testament, and how Paul’s ancestors learned the hard way how to wait upon the Lord. Israel was no stranger to being captured and enslaved by foreign na ons. In fact, we know the na on of Israel actually grew into a large na on under its first captors, the Egyp ans. Yet, they also suffered greatly un l God acknowledged their cries and sent Moses to free them (Exodus 3). During the prophe c life of Isaiah, Israel would be seized by the Babylonians and forced to live in exile for years. Let’s spend a li le me here. Condi ons under Babylonian rule were not so much physically brutal as they were psychologically and emo onally scarring. While in exile in Babylon, Jews were once again tempted into adop ng the ways of their captors versus remaining loyal to their God. Though not all Jews conformed, the inability of knowing if and when they would return home must have been exhaus ng for those a emp ng to hold out.
ELAINE LANKFORD is an author, a speaker, and a life/leadership coach. Visit her site transformingloveministries.org to learn more about discovering and/or fulfilling your God-sized dream.
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It is toward the end of this Babylonian exile that these words are pinned in the book of Isaiah: “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” Isaiah 40:31 ESV These words are given to the Israelites in exile to bring emo onal and spiritual upli ing a er a long and weary me. All told, the people of Israel would wait almost 70 years to hear God’s answer to their prayers for freedom and restora on. What have you prayed for that you are s ll wai ng on? Are you willing to wait upon the Lord? Have you considered that in the wai ng, God may be a emp ng to work something out within your faith? C.S. Lewis once said: “I pray because I can't help myself. I pray because I'm helpless. I pray because the need flows out of me all the me, waking and sleeping. It doesn't change God. It changes me.” I acknowledge that wai ng is hard, but friend let me assure you, there is purpose in the wai ng. Believe in the words of Isaiah. God will renew your strength and He will never forsake you. Allow our wonder-working God complete leeway in the situa on you are praying about and if the answer does not come quick, take Paul’s advice. Be joyful. Keep praying. Be thankful in everything. The answer is coming. Father God, we know that You bend down to hear us. We thank you for Your a en on to our prayers. Lord, strengthen us in the wai ng. Have Your way in everything we ask of You. Let us not turn to the right or the le but stay focused on You while You are working. And let our faith rise as we trust in You for an answer in Your good ming. Amen.
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LOVE, PEACE, & SECOND CHANCES
PART 3 : THE LOST SHEEP GONE ASTRAY MELANIE DAVIS PORTER
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The smell of fall was in the air and flashed a hint of color peeking out from the trees. Mae-Lyn closed her eyes long enough to see Faith jumping in the leaves. It was her favorite me of year. Faith looked forward to taking Lily to the park just to find the fall leaves. Once, she offered to rake a co-worker’s yard so that they could play. A er stuffing thirty-one garage bags full of crunchy leaves, she confessed she was over playing in the leaves for a while. Why’d you have to leave me, Faith? “I cants waytz to pway kick-a-ball Mista’ Andy.” “Me too. You can be on my team.” “Groooby.” River View’s First Bap st stood tall and stately. The white brick façade with colorful stained-glass windows looked almost like a fairy tale set into the perfect landscape of weeping willows and massive magnolia trees. She adjusted her ed belt again, then tucked a loose curl behind her right ear. She couldn’t help no cing the tall blonde in a black, fi ed pencil skirt with a cream silk, ruffled blouse, and pink pearls. The older lady wore a tailored navy suit and a wide-brimmed hat with a matching clutch purse and pumps. I should have worn my blue dress instead of this sundress; at least it had sleeves. These sandals have seen be er days. Why did I agree to this? Andy's heart was full of an cipa on though he sensed her nerves. "There are good folks here, Mae-Lyn. I promise you'll make it through the next hour," he said with a laugh. “I’m sorry I’m so up ght. The church is foreign to me.” He felt that shi in his heart again. Lord, please let her feel your love today. They walked the long, noisy hallway with kids lagging behind their parents. Lily smiled and waved at every child passing by, regardless of their age. They stepped into a big, colorful room full of children si ng in ny chairs.
“Well, hello, you must be Lily?" A graceful, college-aged girl with long auburn hair kneeled and made eye contact with Lily. “I am! Hoowwd you kno dat?” “A li le bird told me,” she said, laughing. "Hey, Andy." “Hey yourself, cuz. Lily, this is my cousin Laila. Lai, this is Mae-Lyn.” “It’s so nice to meet you, Mae-Lyn. We’re so happy to have you and Lily visi ng this morning.” “Thank you.” Mae-Lyn smiled, relaxing a bit to see Lily at ease. I don't know why I worry about her fi ng in; she's always a perfect fit everywhere she goes. I’m the square peg. “Lily, you’ll have fun with Lai. Mae-Mae and I will come back to get you a er church, okay?” “Okkiiee dokkiiee.” Stopping at the door, Mae-Lyn glanced at Lily to see her grinning ear to ear and talking to a li le girl with ponytails. She makes friends everywhere she goes. Everyone loves my Lily girl.
They se led into an empty pew in front of Andy’s parents just in me to meet his sister and brother-inlaw. Mae-Lyn felt relieved to see Ka e in a green and purple sundress with horizontal lines. Her long black hair was fine but messy. She wore li le make-up but donned bright pink lip gloss. Ka e leaned in, embracing Mae-Lyn while whispering in her ear. “We’re going to be good friends, Mae-Lyn,” so ly kissing her on the cheek. Her husband, Rob, pa ed her on the forearm. “Nice to meet you, Mae-Lyn.”
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I NGREDIENTS : Hot Chocolate Mixes Hot water Whipped Cream or Redi-Whip Large marshmallows Miniature marshmallows Milk chocolate chips Mini-Dark Chocolate chips Flaked coconut Red Hots or Cinnamon Candy chips Peppermint Candy Canes Oreo Candy Canes Oreo Thin Bites White Fudge Dipped cookies Oreo Cookies Heath Milk Chocolate English Toffee Bits Caramel Bits or Peanut Bu er chips Cinnamon S cks Starlight Peppermints (crush some of the peppermints) Chocolate Sprinkles
Hot Chocolate Charcuterie Board D ESIGNING
A
C HARCUTERIE B OARD
1. Gather ingredients, tray or board, and serving dishes. 2. Select a variety of toppings for the hot chocolate--always shop for a variety of tastes. You can use two or three different cocoa mixes. 3. Make a plan for the ingredients. Sketch out where ingredients are going because placement is key-decide what needs a serving dish, what doesn’t; look at size, texture, color of ingredients, etc. 4. About an hour before serving, open ingredients and place appropriately. Fill the board or tray-curb appeal is huge. 5. Take pictures of your charcuterie board so you can check placement. You s ll have me to move the ingredients around before guests arrive. 6. Enjoy! 116 S WEET T O T HE S OUL FAITH | W INTER 2021
Want to thank your hostess for a wonderful gathering? Here are three simple gi ideas that will convey your gra tude and complement their efforts as well as help them in the future.
KITCHEN TOWEL SET
VINTAGE COOKWARE
DRINKWARE
Choose a kitchen towel, add a wooden spoon and e the set with a pre y ribbon. Makes a great gi and both are appreciated in the kitchen.
Take your make & take dish in vintage cookware which the hostess can then add to her collec on. Pick up one inexpensively at your local thri store.
Choose two cute mugs & add hot cocoa mix and toppings. The mugs can match or choose two that complement one another.
Visit PeacefullyImperfect.net to purchase the featured “Simple Goodness” Kitchen Towel. Cookbooks also make great gi s all year ‘round, and we are in love with Mitzi’s new cookbook ZiZi’s Kitchen: Gathering in Faith-Full Fellowship. W INTER 2021 | S WEET T O T HE S OUL FAITH
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Christmas used to be my busiest time of the year. I say “used to” because after many years of over-hype, over-hustle and over-spending, the hubby and I started some new traditions and shifted our focus back to the real reason for this season. I would love to encourage you to do the same. "Every Good Gift" is a self paced 7 Scripture based Bible Study Journal focused on the greatest gift of all - Jesus Christ! Includes devotions, study journal pages, scripture cards, prayer tags, note cards, journaling template, color page and more! • 2 Bonus color pages
D OWNLOAD 132
AT :
S WEET T O T HE S OUL . COM /I NSPIRED -I NBOX
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J O U R N A L I N G T E M P L AT E S / B O O K M A R K S Enjoy these “vintage” designs of some of my favorite Scriptures from when I first began Bible Journaling.
LUKE 1:45
Original Artwork by: Jana Kennedy Spicer
ISAIAH 7:96
ISAIAH 7:96
Color or paint each design then cut our and use as a book mark or add to a journal or Bible as a “Ɵp-in”. Or transfer or trace each design directly into a journal or Bible.
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DO
YO U K N O W J E S U S ?
God loves us so much that He sent His Son, Jesus, to die on the cross to pay the price for our sins and bring us into a rela onship with Him. (John 3:16) Through Christ, we can know the promise of eternal life and experience the joy of knowing God here on earth! If you would like to have a rela onship with God, the Bible tells us that the first step is acknowledging that we have sinned and that there is nothing we can do to earn God’s love (Romans 3:23-26). Next, we believe and confess that Jesus is Lord (Romans 10:9) and allow Him to guide our lives. Where we once wanted to control our own future, we now invite Jesus into our hearts to be Lord over our lives. Knowing God’s peace, perspec ve and purpose for your life begins with a personal rela onship with Jesus. Would you like to accept Jesus as Lord of your life? You can pray the following prayer:
Lord, I confess that I have sinned against You and ask You to forgive me. I’m sorry that my sin has hurt You and other people in my life. I acknowledge that I could never earn salvation by my good works, but I come to You and trust in what Jesus did for me on the cross. I believe that You love me and that Jesus died and rose again so that I can be forgiven and come to know You. I ask You to come into my heart and be Lord of my life. I trust You with everything, and I thank You for loving me so much that I can know You here on earth and spend the rest of eternity with You in heaven. In Jesus name, Amen
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VISIT US ON-LINE SweetToTheSoulFAITH.com
SweetToTheSoul.com
SweetToTheSoulShoppe.com
SCRIPTURE READING PLANS : Each month consists of a topic-driven reading plan, complete with 31 Scriptures to use in your Bible study and quiet me. The verses serve as a guide to dive deep into God’s Word as you focus on small por ons. Blank Scripture Journal pages are also available for download.
BIBLE STUDY RESOURCES : Soul Inspired Bible Study is about spending me in the scripture with God and allowing the Holy Spirit to give us understanding. These Bible Studies cover a variety of topics and offer resources in mul ple formats including journals, devo onals and more.
INSPIRED INBOX : These free Soul Inspired Bible Studies are delivered directly to your inbox. Choose from several topics. Just sign up, check your email box, then download and print all your study materials. Study alone at your own pace or invite friends to join you and study the Bible together.
SOUL INSPIRED BIBLE JOURNALING RESOURCES : are designed to inspire your soul and encourage you to use your crea vity during your Bible Study me. Our journaling resources include Bible Journaling Kits, printable templates / colorable bookmarks, coloring pages, scripture cards and more!
COLORING BOOKS : Coloring is a wonderful way to relax and destress. Our coloring books include inspira onal Scripture and encouraging quotes through beau fully hand-drawn artwork. Be inspired as you spend me reflec ng on scripture as well as enjoying the calming and refreshing benefits of coloring.
SWEET TO THE SOUL SHOPPE : Our on-line shoppe is where you will find all of our Bible Journaling and crea ve resources. Many resources are printable instant digital downloads. We also have several sets of scripture cards and blank encouragement cards. Visit swee othesoulshoppe.com to see our full line of products.
Our Bible Studies and Journals are available for purchase via Amazon. Visit swee othesoul.com for direct links to each of our books or journals.
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Our Prayer Lord, we thank you and praise you and worship you for all that you are. The cost you have paid for the rescue of our souls is not truly comprehendible by us, how can we ever be thankful enough? The moments of worship we have to offer seem lacking in response, yet you are gracious to us still. Our souls hunger and thirst for the divine nourishment only you can provide, and you do so freely and bountifully each time we seek you, even after we have neglected and rejected you , you always welcome us back with an open heart and open arms. Oh the glorious mercy!
May our hearts overflow! Overflow with an abundance which engulfs all those around us so they too can worship in the bounty of your love, grace and mercy. Lord, take us to the one who needs to receive you this season. Make aware to us, where we can be your hands and feet, where we can give back to you by giving to others. Oh let our love of others be a worship offering to you. Thank you for the privilege to love others for you. In Jesus’ precious name, Amen.
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Prayer by Jana Kennedy-Spicer
Father, the world is such a challenge right now. Even though you see our full life span, from first breath to last, in a single glace, we struggle with life, many times, moment to moment. Many of us are ill, tired, worn out, defenseless, burdened, troubled, grieving and lonely. We know that you have overcome this world, that you are the hope which prevails, that you are our strong defender, that you see and wipe away our tears; so Father we ask, oh please Father, make us aware of your presence, open our eyes to the work of your hands, and let our hearts be filled with the comfort and peace only you can provide.