If you want to grow in your walk with God, there is nothing GREATER THAN TAWG.

Time Alone With God is essential to seeing spiritual growth at home. This devotional is to serve as a tool to help you get into a regular habit of TAWG. Its set up to last 4 weeks, giving you 6 days of study per week (every weekday and one weekend experience): Sometimes when we try to get into the habit of TAWG, we may miss a day or two, then want to give up as we fall behind. Dont beat yourself up if you miss a day. This is set up in a way that you could miss 1 day a week without falling behind at all. If you miss more than one, either skip the day you missed, or do two in one day. Remember, its not about a checklist, its about Him! Make sure you have a highlighter and a pen/pencil handy as you go through this. If something jumps out at you in the Bible or this journal, HIGHLIGHT IT! In the areas left open for you to journal your thoughts, do it! While your doing this journal, remember the many other ways you took part in TAWG while at campworship, draw, sculpt, watch videosbe creative! Finally, join the follow up discussion online at the NMC Junior High Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/NMCJuniorHigh. Leave a comment on what you learned in your TAWG that day, and read what others have learned as well. Some days, well add a little challenge or some further thoughts on this website as well! GO FOR IT! We love you, believe in you, and are praying for you!

-The Student Ministries Staff

You just got home! Have you: Thanked your parents for letting you go? Told them a little bit of what God did at Camp? Change your Facebook profile pic to the Camp Logo? Take a shower? Change your underwear (this is more a reminder for the guys) Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes No No No No No

So, as you spend your Time Alone With God at Home, there are a few things we want to make sure we do. 1. Find a place: Find a spot where you wont be distracted. Every once in a while in this devotional, youll be encouraged to check something out online, so you may want to think through where a computer will be near. MY TAWG LOCATION WILL BE:

2. Select a Time: There is no right or wrong time to do your TAWG. You may choose to do it in the morning when you wake up. You may do it right before bedtime. You may do it sometime in between. Just select a time where you feel you can be consistent with it every day you will be doing it. Also, pick a backup time, just in case you wont be able to do your selected time. (Give yourself 30 minutes, but your probably wont take that long). MY TAWG TIME WILL BE: MY BACKUP TAWG TIME WILL BE: Okay, so we have some basics in place. Today, take a little time to go back through your notebook from Camp. What are the big things you know God started there that you need to make sure take place at home?

PRAY: Commit your TAWG location and time to God, as well as the action steps you know
you need to take (FYI, well get into the Bible tomorrow).

Most of this devotional will be looking at Philippians, a book that a guy named Paul wrote. He was once known as Saul. Lets take the next couple days and get to know his story a little better.

Read Acts 9:1-19

What did you learn about Saul in this passage?

Saul has a pretty powerful encounter with God while walking to Damascus. Whats crazy cool is that, from there, he changes his name to Paul and begins to travel around preaching the message of Christ. He encounters Christ in a huge way, and then begins to share about what God has done. What are the big ways youve encountered Christ while at Camp?

Who could you be sharing about what Christ has done in your life?

How could you go about sharing what Christ has done?

PRAY: Ask God to give you opportunities to share what Hes done in your life with others.

Yesterday you read the account of how Paul encountered, Today, lets reread the account, but this time in his own words.

Read Acts 22:1-21

What stuck out to you from Pauls story this time? Why?

In this passage of scripture, Paul is sharing his story to people in Jerusalem who did not believe in Jesus Christ. He is sharing his personal experience to convince them that Jesus is real. The story of what God has done in your life is important and meant to be shared. In church world, we call your God story your testimony. There are lot of people in this world who are looking to see proof that God is real. One of the most powerful proofs is found when people are willing to speak up and share their testimony of how God has been real in their life. If you were going to stand in front of people who didnt believe in Jesus and share what God has done in your life, what story (or stories) would you share?

PRAY: Think through some of the people in your life who dont know Jesus. Ask God to
give you an opportunity to share your God Stories (your testimony) with them.

Throughout this devotional journey, you will have the opportunity to view other peoples testimonies through a website called www.iamsecond.com In fact, go log on to that website right now. There is a little search box at the top. In that box you will want to type in the names of people so you can watch their story. This weekend, lets watch the story of two different people. First, Brian Welch, then Bailee Madison. What from Brian Welchs story really hit you and why?

What from Bailee Madisons story really hit you and why?

Starting Monday, you will be diving into the book of Philippians. Every once in a while, Ill ask you to check out somebodys story who connects with what we are reading about. Allow God to speak to you through other peoples stories.

PRAY: Ask God to continue to be with Brian and Bailee as they seek to honor God with
their lives and share his love. Also, lift up your fellow campers in prayer.

Remember you can go to the Senior High Camp Facebook Group to share what youre learning and hear from others!

As we dive into the book of Philippians, its good to have a little background. So here it is: Book: Philippians Author: Paul Audience: Paul is writing to all the Christian of Philipi. As he seeks to encourage, challenge and instruct them, we can take his words to heart. Setting: Paul is writing this letter from prison. Why has he been put into prison? Simply because he was sharing the message of Jesus. Take a moment to think about this. If you were in jail for sharing your faith, what would your attitude be like? What would you be doing with your time? If you could write a letter, who would you write and why? Write some thoughts below:

If you can keep in mind that this is literally mail written from jail, it makes what you are about to read in the weeks to come even more powerful.

Read Philippians 1:1-6

If you could pick 4 words to describe Pauls attitude in the opening of this letter, what would they be?

1. _________________________ 2. _________________________ 3. _________________________ 4. _________________________

You are back from Camp. Off the mountaintop. Time to grow. Coming down from the mountaintop is rarely easy. Its tough. If you havent yet, you will likely face some sort of trial, discouragement or opposition that may cause you to wonder if God really has something GREATER THAN what was happening before camp. Somebody once gave me some incredible advice when he said, Derry, life is 50% what happens to you, and 50% about how you respond to it. You will experience some tough times in the days and weeks to come. What will your attitude be?

Lets take a closer look at Pauls attitude in this passage, and see what we can learn from it.: In verse 3, you see Paul say, I thank my God. He is able to take time to thank God, even in the tough times. Do you find this easy or tough to be thankful in tough times?

When times get tough, what are some ways you could show thanksgiving?

In verse 4, you see that Paul is able to pray with joy. He is able to take time to thank God, even in the tough times. What does joy look like in your life, and how can you show it in tough times?

Finally, verse 6 is the key in this passage. It is also key as you seek to see GREATER things in the weeks to follow camp. Like we did at Camp, rewrite this verse in your own words, writing it in a way that applies exactly to where you are now.

PRAY: How will you respond when time gets tough. Will your attitude be thankful, full of joy,

Read Philippians 1:7-11

Pay special attention to Pauls prayer in verses 9-11. What from that prayer connects with you?

Why does this especially stick out to you?

Its awesome to know that someone is praying for you. I am writing this devotional from Uganda where we are working on adopting our son. It is been a really tough process, and it has been amazing to hear from people that they have been praying and how they have been praying for us. Who is someone that you know you could be praying for right now, an dhow could you be praying for him/her?

PRAY: 2 ways for you to pray today. First, ask God to help you apply the section of Pauls
prayer to your everyday life.. Second, take some time to pray for the person you mentioned above. Then, like Paul did with the Church of Philippi, let that person know what your prayer is. You may even want to text that prayer or send it to him/her on Facebook (recommendation, send it as a message or chat rather than on their wall let it be more between you and him/her).
*Sometimes God uses our prayers to really speak into others lives. If anything really cool happens from your prayer for someone, hop over to the Facebook group and share what happened.

Read Philippians 1:12-19

Paul highlights two obstacles that could easily cause him to get frustrated or want to give up. First, in verses 12-15, he lets us know he is in prison for sharing his faith. Then, in verses 16-17 we read about that some he is connected with have been sharing about God with the wrong motives. As you read about these two issues, what is Pauls response? His response to being in jail (v. 12, 14)

His response to those sharing Christ with wrong motives (v. 18-19)

Heres the key: Paul looks at both of these OBSTACLES as OPPORTUNITIES in both cases the he sees them as opportunities to share his faith. Are there currently any obstacles you are facing in your walk with Christ that could be turned into opportunities to share your faith?

CHECK IT OUT: Christianity is full of people who have taken up the same attitude when
faced with tough times. They have seen God do amazing things in and through them. One such person is professional surfer Bethany Hamilton. Log on to www.iamsecond.com or go to the Facebook Group page and click on the Bethany Hamilton story.

PRAY: Lay your obstacles before God and ask him to help you make them opportunities.

Read Philippians 1:20-26

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone where its just going along and all of the sudden, out of nowhere he/she just drops a bomb? You know, he/she tells you something that is incredibly shocking, profound, or maybe even a little crazy Well, my parents are getting a divorce. (shocking) Ive realized following Jesus is more important than my popularity. (profound) Ive been thinking about shaving every single hair on my body. (crazy) In Philippians 1:21, Paul drops a bomb. Its shocking, profound, and maybe a little crazy all rolled into one. In your own words, what does he say, and what do you think he means by it?

To be clear, Paul is not talking about ending his own life here. He is talking about being executed (put to death) for his faith. When being killed. This is something that happened often at the time when Paul was alive. In fact, did you know that of the 12 original disciples of Jesus, it is widely believed that 10 of their were martyred for their faith (Judas hung himself and John, although beaten repeatedly, died while imprisoned on an island). So, when you consider that Paul is, in a very real way, potentially facing death while in prison, it makes verse 20 all the more powerful. Pay special attention to what attitude Paul says he hopes to take up. In the NIV, he hopes he will in no way be ashamed, but have sufficient courage to live out his relationship with Christ. Lets get honest for a moment. When or where are you tempted to hide your relationship with Christ (be ashamed)?
It may be certain places. It may be around certain people. It may be certain activities. It may be in certain crowd size. It may be never. It may be all the time. Just be honest, and list them below:

What do you think it is that makes you more likely to be ashamed of Christ in what youve listed

above? Lets face it, it can be tough to live for Christ as a Junior or High School student. Granted, you arent facing death like Paul, but you are facing the potential stick out, go against the flow of all your peers (which can get REALLY tiring), and you run a very high risk of doing it alone much of the time. It takes energy. It takes faith. It takes, as Paul says in verse 20, SUFFICIENT COURAGE. What do you think sufficient courage needs to look like in the situations, people, and/or activities you have outlined?

PRAY: Youve outlined some situations, people, and/or activities where you may find yourself ashamed to live out your faith. Pray for courage. In fact, write out your prayer to God today, asking him to help you find courage in the areas youve outlined. Be specific.

CHECK IT OUT: Did you know that there are many in the word today still facing death simply
for being a Christian. For more information on this, you can check out a ministry called Voice of the Martyrs at www.persecution.com for more info. Also, check out the Facebook group for a few video stories on those who have died for their faith.

Read Philippians 1:27-30

The first sentence to verse 27... rewrite it in your own words.

Think through your day yesterday and/or today. How do you feel like your attitude and actions matched up with this verse?

In verse 29, what does Paul say we can look forward to if truly conduct ourselves in a way that honors Christ? (hint, its not necessarily something fun!)

Yesterday, we looked at courage. Living out that first sentence in verse 27 will take just that. But, is that all it takes? Think about it for a second, how do you know how to conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the Gospel of Christ? Youre at home hanging out by yourself for the day... Youre on the basketball or volleyball court Youre hanging out with your friends (Christian or non-Christian) Youre at school In these scenarios, how do you know what your conduct should be? It takes WISDOM. Wisdom is knowing the best course of action to take in a situation. Wisdom is something that comes from God. When I pray for God to work in my life, I often ask for two things: WISDOM & COURAGE. Wisdom to know the path that God wants me to take and Courage to take the path he reveals to me, no matter what the cost.

PRAY: As you pray today and in the days to come, think through those situations you are facing,
and ask God for Wisdom and Courage. As he guides you, you may want to journal (write down) some of the guidance He gives you.

CHECK IT OUT: Log on to www.iamsecond.com or go to the Facebook Group page and check
click on the Tony Dungy story to see an example of someone who have lived and coached a sports team with WISDOM & COURGE.

Its important to remember that when Philippians was originally written, there were no chapters and verses marked in it. Those were later added in to all books of the Bible to make it easier to find certain sections. So, Paul really intended for Philippians to be read as a whole, not in bits and pieces. For weekends, lets do that.

Read through Philippians completely.

A few thoughts: 1. Dont freak out! Its only 4 chapters. 2. Read it quickly. 3. Try to focus in on the Big Ideas you think Paul is trying to bring across. 4. If something sticks out to you, underline or highlight it so you can come back to it later. After youre done reading, answer the questions below: If you were to sum up what you think Paul is trying to say in Philippians with 1 sentence, what would it be?

If you are were to sum it up in 1 word, what would it be? __________________ Look back through week 1. What is your biggest takeaway from Philippians 1?

How are you doing on follow through with commitments you made at Camp?

PRAY: This weekend, focus your prayers for your fellow camp mates. God gave us some great
perspective while there, but weve been off the mountain top for a week. You may even want to call, text, or message a fellow cabin group member and pray together for each other.

Remember you can go to the Senior High Camp Facebook Group to share what youre learning and hear from others!

Read Philippians 2:1-4

You read this section of scripture while at Camp. It is chucked full of some great insight on how we are to interact with each other. Rewrite verses 1-4 into your own words.

Verse 3 is a powerful challenge. I once heard someone say, You know you are living out Philippians 2:3 when you actually want to see someone succeed more than you want yourself to succeed. Wow, thats tough. Give yourself a grade (A, B, C, D, or F) on how you think you are living out Philippians 2:3 with the following people: Parents: ______
Why that Grade?

Brothers/Sisters: ______ Why that Grade? Friends: ______

Why that Grade?

Enemies: ______ Why that Grade? How can you work on making Philippians 1:3 more of a reality in the relationships you marked as weak?

PRAY: Focus your prayer efforts on the person or people you feel you have not done a good job
living out Philippians 2:3 with. Make your prayers very focused on your desire for that person to be blessed, to have a great week. In fact, make it a point to pray for that person or people every day this week. Maybe even try to come up with a way you can go out of your way to display Philippians 2:3 in that person/peoples life.

As you read through this section of scripture today, take your time. Read it at least 3 times, paying very special attention to exactly what Jesus did when he came to earth.

Read Philippians 2:5-11

What actions and attitudes that Jesus took when he came to earth especially struck you and why?

Reread Verse 5.
How has your attitude stood up in comparison to what has stuck out to you.

Philippians 2:5 is one of the toughest verses to read, and its very hard to live up to.

CHECK IT OUT: How hard is it to truly live out Philippians 2:5? How can you take up the
same attitude as Jesus? Log on to www.iamsecond.com or go to the Facebook Group page and click on the Chris Plekenpol story. What sticks out to you about Chriss story?

PRAY: Pray for three things today. First, pray for those who are serving our country. Pray
especially for those who are Christians, that they may live out their faith in the midst of tough circumstances. Second, pray for Philippians 2:5 to be something you could live out in the days to come. Third, pray for the person/people you identified yesterday.

Its a Worship Wednesday.

What is a Worship Wednesday? Glad you asked. Today, for your TAWG, find a way to worship God. The way we define worship at NMC is putting our minds attention and hearts affection on Jesus Christ. Find a way to do just that. Heres some ideas: Listen to some worship music on your Ipod, or if you dont have any on your ipod, find some online (for example, www.allworship.com). Sing to God. Not a good singer? Who cares? He doesnt. He just loves for you to sing. If you play an instrument, take it out and play it for God. Go to the book of Psalms. These are all songs written to God. Take the Psalm and make it a prayer or praise to God. (some ideas would be Psalm 1, 19, 23, 40, 121, 136). Write a poem, a letter, draw a picture. Do something creative for God. Whatever you do, just let your minds attention and hearts affection on God. After your time of worship, write out what you did, and some of your thoughts and impressions below:

PRAY: Let your prayer, again, be focused completely on praising God. Dont forget to pray
for the person/people you identified on Monday!

Today, you are going to allow God to teach you through His word in without much help from this devotional. Heres what you do

SLOW DOWN: Just hit pause on everything else. Get in a spot where you wont be
distracted. Picture just you and God hanging together for the next little bit.

PRAY: Ask God to speak to you as you are going to read his word.

READ: Philippians 2:12-18

RESPOND: To the following questions
What one or two thoughts or statements have stuck out to you? (Write them out word for word)

Why did these thoughts or statements stick out to you?

How can you take these thoughts or statements and put them into practice?

PRAY:

Pray about what youve read today, and ask God to help you put it into practice in the way you have journaled above. Dont forget to pray for the person/people you identified on Monday!

Just to get into a bit of a practice, lets do the same thing you did yesterday, but with a different section of scripture:

SLOW DOWN: Just hit pause on everything else. Get in a spot where you wont be
distracted. Picture just you and God hanging together for the next little bit.

PRAY: Ask God to speak to you as you are going to read his word.

READ: Philippians 2:19-30

RESPOND: To the following questions
What one or two thoughts or statements have stuck out to you? (Write them out word for word)

Why did these thoughts or statements stick out to you?

How can you take these thoughts or statements and put them into practice?

PRAY:

Pray about what youve read today, and ask God to help you put it into practice in the way you have journaled above. Dont forget to pray for the person/people you identified on Monday!

CHECK IT OUT: Paul talks about the power of God to heal someone. Did you know that
can still happen today? Log on to www.iamsecond.com or the Facebook page and click on Shane Kampes story.

Read through Philippians completely.

Keep a pen or a highlighter handy, marking out any verses or phrases from Chapter 1 or 2 that just keep jumping out to you. As you read Chapters 3 and 4, try to capture the big ideas Paul is throwing out there. What 1 verse or passage (a passage would be 2 or 3 verses together) has been the most meaningful to you from Chapter 1? (Write it out word for word)

What 1 verse/passage from Chapter 2 that has been most meaningful to you? (Write it out word for word)

Try to commit these two verses/passages youve identified to memory. Heres some ideas on how you can do this:
WRITE IT TO MEMORY: 1. Take a piece of paper. 2. Copy the verse out word for word 10 times in a row (the verse and where it is found). 3. Fold the paper over, and attempt to write it from memory. 4. If you mess up, try again until you get it right 3 times in a row. 5. Now, instead of writing it out from memory, say it out loud to yourself from memory. 6. Dont stop until you have said it out loud word perfect from memory 3 times in a row. FLASH CARD MEMORY: 1. Get a 3 X 5 note card or a small piece of paper. 2. On one side write where the verse is found (in this case II Timothy 3:16 on one side, and the verse on the other). 3. Read the verse again and again and again until you think you know it. 4. Flip the card over and see if you can recite it word perfect. 5. If you miss it, reread it again and again and again until you think youve got it. 6. Dont stop until youve said it out loud from memory 3 times in a row.

How are you doing on follow through with commitments you made at Camp?

PRAY: Pray for your fellow campers who will be starting in on two-a-days for their sports
and/or marching band. Pray for the GREATER THINGS to come.

Read Philippians 3:1-4

Paul wants to be very clear that not everyone will be excited about you pursuing a relationship with Christ. If we are going to truly live out our faith, we will have those who will push back. Paul has some pretty harsh things to say about those who are choosing not to follow Christ. What does he call them in verse 2?

Okay, gut level honesty time. Who are those you have around you that tend to pull you away from your relationship with Christ rather than toward Him?

Ultimately, God wants us to be influencers on anyone and everyone. BUT (and this is a big but) we have to be honest about where we are at. If we are at a spot where we feel we are going to be more influenced by someone than influencing them, it may be wise for us to distance ourselves from that relationship. Are there any who have been listed above that it may be best for you to get a little distance? If so, how do you think you should do that?

CHECK IT OUT: Log onto www.iamsecond.com or the Facebook page and check out the
story of Dallas Cowboys linebacker, Bradie James.

PRAY: Here is another moment to pray for WISDOM and COURAGE. Wisdom to know what
to do with your relationships, and the courage to do what God tells you.

This is a passage that sums up the heart of having a sold-out relationship with Christ. Lets do the Bible Study Method we learned about last week:

SLOW DOWN: Just hit pause on everything else. Get in a spot where you wont be
distracted. Picture just you and God hanging together for the next little bit.

PRAY: Ask God to speak to you as you are going to read his word.

READ: Philippians 3:4-11

RESPOND: To the following questions
What one or two thoughts or statements have stuck out to you? (Write them out word for word)

Why did these thoughts or statements stick out to you?

How can you take these thoughts or statements and put them into practice?

PRAY: Pray about what youve read today, and ask God to help you put it into
practice in the way you have journaled above.

Its a Worship Wednesday.

Again, lets take a break from Philippians. You can look back to last Wednesday for some different ideas on how to spend your Worship Wednesday. Remember, we serve a creative God, so be creative in your worship back to Him! After your time of worship, write out what you did, and some of your thoughts and impressions below:

PRAY: Lets Practice ABC Prayer today think of something or someone you can pray for
that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Ask God to help you think as you do this. Let him speak to you as you pray!

ABCDEFGHIJKLM-

NOPQRSTUVWXYZ-

Read Philippians 3:4-11 (yes, read the same passage as Tuesday)

Paul gets very blunt in verses 7 and 8. Theres a word he uses that in Greek (the original language Philippians was written in) called skubalon. Your Bible probably translates it to garbage or rubbish. This is a very kind translation. If translated literally, the word means excrement. Paul says that he considers anything else compared to following Jesus to be a big pile of poop. Sometimes we tame down how God is calling us to live because it can get tough. We have to make a choice on who or what we will love the most. In your mind, take some time to fill in this blank:

Jesus or _______________?
Fill the blank in with the people or things you love. As you mentally fill in the blank with those people or things, ask yourself the following questions: Which one controls me more? Which one do I love more? Which one should I love more? If I could choose only one, which one would I honestly choose? These are some tough questions to wrestle through, but ultimately, Paul reminds us that everything is skubalon compared to Jesus Christ! In the space below, write out what you filled the blank in with and some of your thoughts concerning the questions above.

PRAY: If you are honestly willing to say, I want to live a live that chooses Jesus over
anything else, pray prayers of surrender today, laying down the people and things to God. Let Him know that you desire to have Him be THE priority in your life.

SLOW DOWN: Just hit pause on everything else. Get in a spot where you wont be
distracted. Picture just you and God hanging together for the next little bit.

PRAY: Ask God to speak to you as you are going to read his word.

READ: Philippians 3:12-21

RESPOND: To the following questions
What one or two thoughts or statements have stuck out to you? (Write them out word for word)

Why did these thoughts or statements stick out to you?

How can you take these thoughts or statements and put them into practice?

PRAY: Pray about what youve read today, and ask God to help you put it into practice in the way you have journaled above.

Read through Philippians completely.

Keep a pen or a highlighter handy, marking out any verses or phrases from Chapters 1-3 that just keep jumping out to you. As you read Chapters 4, try to capture the big ideas Paul is throwing out there. What 1 verse or passage (a passage would be 2 or 3 verses together) has been the most meaningful to you from Chapter 3? (Write it out word for word)

Add this verse/passage to the others in chapters 1 and 2 that you plan to memorize! Work on getting these verses (and where they are found) committed to memory over this weekend. How are you doing on follow through with commitments you made at Camp?

PRAY: School is drawing closer. Take some time this weekend to Claim Your Campus for
Jesus. Ask God to do a move in your school. Ask Him what your role is supposed to be as we take this next year to Claim our Campuses through prayer and see God do something in our schools GREATER THAN he has ever done before. Maybe even write out your prayer below:

Read Philippians 4:1-7

Verses 4-6 are chucked full of some great advice. Which piece of advice especially hits you and why?

Paul then gives us a promise. What is that promise in verse 7?

Do you feel like the promise of verse 7 is present in your life?

YES NO

God does not break His promises. If verse 7 is not present, it probably means that something in verses 4-6 is not taking place. Lets do a little evaluation. Put an X oon the scale how you think you are doing in each category: Rejoice in the Lord always: __________________________________________________
All the Time 1/2 the time Never

Let your gentleness be evident to all: __________________________________________________

To everyone To Some To None

Do not be anxious about anything: __________________________________________________

Never Anxious Sometimes Anxious Always Anxious

Taking everything to God in Prayer: __________________________________________________

Praying like crazy Sometimes Praying Never Praying

As you look at your responses above, what do you think needs to take place to find yourself living in the promise of verse 7?

Read Philippians 4:8-9

Often, I will run my life through what I call the Philippians 4:8-9 test. For instance, I have the opportunity to go out with a group of friends for a night of fun. In the activities we have outlined doing, I can ask the question Is what we a re about to do true? Is what we are about to do noble? Is what we are about to do pure and lovely? Is what we are about to do admirable? Is what we are about to do excellent or praiseworthy? I can do the same thing with the entertainment I am taking in (movies, music, internet, etc.) Is what Im about to watch true, noble, pure, lovely, etc I can run my interactions (texts, wall posts, phone calls, face to face conversations) through the test. Is what Im about to say true, noble, pure, lovely, etc

Run the test in your life right now. Take an activity with friends, a piece of entertainment or a conversation that is coming up and ask the questions. How did your potential actions stack up?

Recommendation: This is a great verse to write out and put somewhere as a reminder. PRAY: Pray Philippians 4:8-9 today. Simply take your activities that you have ahead and ask God to allow them to stack up to this passage. For example: God, as I go to the practice, help me to speak and live truth. Help me to act in a noble manner. Help me to keep my heart and mind pure, and to think about things that are lovely and not evil. Help me to practice in a way that would be admirable to others. Help me to give my best that it might be considered excellent and bring praise to you!

Its a Worship Wednesday.

Worship God in a way you have never done before. Remember, worship is simply putting your minds attention and hearts affection on God. Think outside the box. After your time of worship, write out what you did, and some of your thoughts and impressions below:

PRAY: Lets Practice ABC Prayer again today, but lets have it be all prayers of Thanksgiving.
Come up with a way to thank God for something or someone who starts with every letter!

ABCDEFGHIJKLM-

NOPQRSTUVWXYZ-

Read Philippians 4:10-13

Im fairly convinced that Philippians 4:13 is a verse that we often use in the wrong way. Youve seen it the quarterback has won the big game or the musician has won the big award. Everything has been perfect and exactly the way they wanted, and they say, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (thats the KJV style of the verse). Is that what Paul is really saying? That if you are a Christian, youll always win and finish in first?

Go back and reread verses 10-12.

Paul is clearly saying that things may or may not go his way. He may or may not get exactly what he wants. He may or he may not win. In your own words, rewrite Philippians 4:13 to sum up what you think Paul is trying to get at:

Now, take some time to think about that key word that is popping up again and again, attitude. How does your attitude stack up to Pauls attitude in this passage?

CHECK IT OUT: Log on to www.iamsecond.com and check out Texas and NFL quarterback
Colt McCoys story as a great reminder of what it looks like to live out Philippians 4:13.

PRAY: Think through situations and relationships that especially could use the attitude and
heart behind Philippians 4:10-13. Give these situations over to God and ask Him to do His work.

SLOW DOWN: Just hit pause on everything else. Get in a spot where you wont be
distracted. Picture just you and God hanging together for the next little bit.

PRAY: Ask God to speak to you as you are going to read his word.

READ: Philippians 4:14-23

RESPOND: To the following questions
What one or two thoughts or statements have stuck out to you? (Write them out word for word)

Why did these thoughts or statements stick out to you?

How can you take these thoughts or statements and put them into practice?

PRAY: Pray about what youve read today, and ask God to help you put it into practice in the way you have journaled above.

Read through Philippians completely.

What 1 verse or passage (a passage would be 2 or 3 verses together) has been the most meaningful to you from Chapter 4? (Write it out word for word)

Add this verse/passage to the others in chapters 1 - 3 that you are memorizing! Work on getting these verses (and where they are found) committed to memory over this weekend. As you look back over your journey through Philippians, what are the biggest lessons you will be taking with you? (make a list below)

PRAY: Pray through the list above. Also pray that God will guide you in your TAWG for the
days to come. Maybe even write out your prayer below:

Congratulations, you have just finished 4 weeks of regular Time Alone With God. You are well on your way to developing a habit that will revolutionize your relationship with Christ. As you consider whats next for you, remember, this is a relationship. Its all about opening yourself up to Him, and getting to know Him. So, where do you go from here? Heres a few ideas: 1. Take a book of the Bible and go for it! If youve been paying close attention, you have learned a very valuable way to read scripture. Inductive Bible Study is simply where you read a section of scripture, consider what hits you, why it hits you, and what you need to do because of it. Some possible books of the Bible to go with: Mark Romans James Ephesians Colossians 2. Proverbs a.m./Psalm p.m.: Take a month where every morning you read a chapter of Proverbs in the morning, and a Psalm at night. Proverbs is a book of wisdom, which will be great to read as you head into your day. Psalm is 150 different worship songs, which is a great way to close your day. 3. Resources at the NEXT STEP Stations: We have several great devotionals available for purchase at our Ministry Center in the Grand Hall. Grab one and go for it! 4. Look for more: As we head into the Fall, look for other TAWG journals like the one you received after camp to potentially become available. Above all, remember If you want to grow in your walk with God, there is nothing GREATER THAN TAWG. God has a fantastic plan for your life, and if you seek Him with all your heart, you will find Him. You are loved, The Student Ministries Staff