How Has Join The Journey Encouraged You?

From a mothers heart, I say thank you to the church for being the vessel that God is using in this part of our family's journeyto draw us to Him, the one true God.

I am not a member of your church, but I stumbled across the Journey while doing a search for wedding invitations. Don't ask me how that happened - must be Providence!

At any rate, I have been a part of The Journey since the beginning of the year, and I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate the daily messages and devotionals. They are encouraging and thought-provoking and provide a welcome break in the day. I travel a lot for work and am rarely home. Reading the e-mails gives me a sense of continuity and routine, and allows me to grow in my faith.

Please pass my appreciation along to your entire team. I look forward to the coming weeks and months of The Journey. You are making a difference in my life, and I am sure I am but one of many.

I am always looking for a daily program to keep me in the scriptures and help me with a closer daily walk with God. My daughter, who lives in Dallas and is a member of the church, signed me up last year for this program to read the Bible through in a year. Even though I have been a Christian since I was six years old (over 50 years), I am not sure that I have ever read the Bible through. It has been one of the most inspirational years of my life.

I have discovered things I didn't know after all these years, and I have grown in my relationship with God to a point that I am hungry for more. I have already thanked my daughter for signing my up for the program, and I have already signed up for next year, but I wanted to thank the church for this wonderful ministry.

It can not only help those in need of Christ but also those who are Christians to have a closer walk with the Lord. Thank you to all those who have written daily devotions. They have been a constant inspiration to me. Thank you again and I look forward to next year.

I've been able to connect with others (through reading their stories) who have shared their stories of life change and God's grace. I see myself in their struggles and joys they write about. It's exciting to know I'm not alone in this journey in life.  I love all the practical real life applications some of the people use.

Being in God's word daily makes all the difference in every area of my life.  Relationships at home and at work are much improved.  By spending time in the word I become aware of God's purpose for my life.  I am living life with a purpose b/c of my commitment to spend time with Him daily.

Brief, readable, energetic lessons based on scripture and experiences. I enjoy the bios, the questions, and the comments.

Consistent involvement in God's Word has provided continued growth of faith, affirmation of life applications, and conviction of shortcomings (sometimes daily accountability).  That presence adds up to peace and confidence.  While this sounds like a churchspeak pitch for Bible study, you should know that this is the first time in my life that this has been a daily routine, roughly for the last 6 months.  I'm 47 years old.  Having this on the web integrates The Word into where I am daily.  Thanks for providing.

Each day something in the devotional really "hits home", and makes me examine my life and helps me see things I haven't thought about, or examined.

I like to read how the passages have affected the lives, directly, of the members that have written that days devotional.  It has been so great to see the enthusiasm of the young people (I am 82 years old!) in the Church and the dedication they have.  It has strengthend my faith in so many ways. Thank you.  My grandsons and wives started me on The Journey, and I thank them!  I am unable to attend your Church, as I live in another state.

Four of the six family members are on the same page in Bible reading.  Three of us read the daily passage and talk about it together at breakfast.  I also use the memory verses.  It's nice to see people's faces, name, and a little background on them.

Having a daily passage that I don't have to pick...it takes away my excuse of not knowing what to do.

Helping me to develop a habit of reading the Bible regularly.  I have tried numerous times before on other reading plans and have given up after a while, but it's been several months now, and reading the passages and devotionals is still something I look forward to each weekday.  The personal stories and explanations of the passage really add to my understanding of the text.  Before, I felt like I was reading in a vacuum, but the format of The Journey really helps me to stay involved and focused.

I do not live here, but I have family that attend your church.  I just love the insight and personal applications of each day.  I love to compare the verses that God brings to my eyes with the ones of the daily travel guides.  I have been so blessed by The Journey.  This is my second year and I can't wait for the next one!

I have appreciated the 5 day a week reading plan.  With two small children and a part time job, I have found myself unable to stick with a traditional Bible in a year plan.  It is a great encouragment to feel like I am "keeping up" and not be discouraged if I cannot read every day.  I also have really appreciated the online devotionals.  I try to read and write my journal entry before I read the devotional and it has been interesting and often thought provoking to see if the devotional encourages me to think more deeply about what I have written or takes me along another worthwhile trajectory from the same passage.

I have been spurred on to read the New Testament in a systematic fashion.  The daily devotionals not only point me to real-life applications but have been a way of starting to recognize others in our body.  I have been especially touched by those who are so transparent about their struggles and impressed with the contributions of the younger kids and teens.

I have really enjoyed reading The Journey every morning we I get to work. I find that the same issues and thoughts the writer is discussing is something I can apply to my own life or something I might be struggling with at that moment. I really enjoy the honesty of the authors.

I never expected the Journey to build a sense of community among church members. I am able to remember unique facts about someone and able to "connect the dots". It makes being a part of a large body feel smaller.

I was having a problem finding motivation to spend time in the word every day, but getting the emails each day reminded me and kept me motivated in keeping up. A great way to make sure I get "God time" in consistently.

I would never have the disipline to read the bible each day without the Journey.

It gives my community group a common ground for our Bible study.  I like its simplicity.

It has given me a specific reading plan to daily get into God's word.  It also feels great to be reading the same things as most of the body and encourage each other through our reading.  I have loved having the memory verses added this year as well.  I know my relationship with the Lord has been deepened through my consistent reading of God's word which has been fostered by the Journey.

It has simply made me desire to get into the Word everyday.

I've just loved knowing that as a body we're all embarking on the same path...I love talking with some friends that all go here about the passage for the day or the journey journal entry when it hits home with me. It's been so exciting to be going the same direction with an entire body on our spiritual journey. I really love it....

Making me for the first time in my 25 years as a christian to have a sucessful Daily quiet time!!

My husband and I do it together and it sparks good conversation between us, and better understanding of some of the more difficult scripture. We are not members of this church, but it has made us feel very "connected" to this great body of believers! Thank you!

Since my daughter gave me the study Bible and challenged the whole family tojoin her on the journey two years ago, it has been a daily guide which has carried me thrumany ups and downs in my life.  No matter what I am going thru, the daily reading and devotionalis what I need for that day and if I abide in Him and what He has taught me that morning, the peace thatpasses all understanding fills my heart for that day. I look forward to the next day and arise early to startmy day with the journey.  Application is the key for me and thru the journey, I have found that application is easier because I hear real people and  real stories that show God's grace.

The Journey has encouraged me immensely this year!  I read through books (such as Romans) that I had never read before that encouraged and challenged me!  I was able to read a passage one day and point my sheep to a verse that I had just read to encourage her.  The Lord would open up opportunities for me to share what I was learning to sharpen those around me.  The Journey has blessed every part of my life.

This is my first time to read the New Testament in it's entirety!  What a reward!  Also, it has given me great insight into what the scripture and passages talked about really mean.

We are using it as a family devotional.  We homeschool our kids and this is our Bible reading each day.  We have LOVED it!!!

While living overseas, and now in Canada, I have been very encouraged by the journey.  It has really helped me not to feel alone as I seek to follow Christ in a desert (spiritually speaking) atmosphere.  It has also encouraged me to read through the Bible in its entirety like never before.  My husband and two of my three children are also reading along.  My children have mentioned that they aren't really able to understand what they are reading at times (they are 10 and 13), however, the journey helps form the habit of reading God's Word which we know does not go void.  It is great to have young people included in the devotionals. Thank you for encouraging our family to seek the Lord daily

Join The Journey has been a great resource for my personal study, as well as for my community group, over the past year. I love having guidance on choosing what to read, being able to share insights with others, and learning from others on the day's reading. The Old Testament has become alive, not a chore for me to read. The Scriptures chosen over the past year have challenged me to grow in my faith, and each one seemed to come at the right time.

I have been a subscriber to The Journey now for 3 years. I live in Michigan but my daughter and son in law are members of your church. They invited me to "try it out". I'm so happy they did. I actually crave it now. It helps me to get a better perspective of the Word and how to use it in my daily living. I call it my "spiritual addiction". Thank you for all who have dedicated their time in developing this program. 

Before Join the Journey, I was struggling very much to read consistently in God's word. With the journal my husband and I got from your church, it has helped stabilize my time with the Lord. I have longed for intimacy, and I have found it. I feel very in-tune with the Lord and I feel that my priorities are getting straight. It has been such an amazing experience and I'm learning so much and feel so renewed each day. I'm very thankful for it.

Join the Journey has really helped me get into the Word daily. I've noticed that even though I can't get up any earlier, if I put God first by reading in the mornings, I am energized enough to get ready in the same amount of time! It's like 5 loaves and 2 fish, only with my "morning prep time!" God is gracious and understanding, and truly meets us miraculously right where we are.  I've found myself joyful, energetic, and excited about life daily! Thanks for making this resource available. I've put it on my Facebook and hopefully God will lead others to come to know Him through the Word as I did.