Draw Near Bible Journaling Kit

It is an honor to guide you through this devotional where I’ll share disciplines and practical ways to study scripture with the hope that it will ignite a spark that grows into a burning desire to long for God’s Word. As you begin to study, I pray that your dependence on the Savior grows vastly as you draw near to Him.

In March of 2020, I had the opportunity to share with the community what God had placed on my heart in the previous year through my Rooted devotional. I remember the excitement as emails went back and forth between Shanna and I in the early planning stages, but the moment I sat down to solidify my writing, frustration began to set in. I’m pretty sure I had a blank document titled “March Kit 2020” that remained open and had been stared at 5 times a day on my desktop for what seemed like forever. My conversations with God during that time looked a lot like this: “God, why is it so difficult to express what you’ve placed on my heart?” “Okay, God, can you just give me one sentence to start me off and I can do the rest.” “Are you sure this is what you have for me, God?” God shared a glimpse of the plans He had for me but before I could even be still enough to listen to His voice guide me through it all, I was already trying to make it happen.

I allowed myself to get to a breaking point by running on my own towards the finish line before I even knew the route in which to get there. As I began to pray out of fear and doubt that the words would never make it out, God responded with a simple invitation that came with a promise — ‘Draw near to Me and I will draw near to you.’ (James 4:8) My impulse to take things into my own hands and rely on my own strength was only robbing me of time well spent growing and deepening my relationship with my Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6) How could I have known what He had for me if I wasn’t sitting with Him long enough to listen to His voice?

The longer I walk with God, pause to spend time at His feet, and listen thoughtfully, the deeper my relationship becomes as He begins to reveal Himself.

My desire for you and I is to be believers who —