DAY ONE 

Thought for the day:

God calls us to humble ourselves… and that when we humble ourselves, we are able to set down our pride. Pride is often times connected to anxiety. We sometimes have pride that we can “do it all ourselves” and just keep moving even when life throws a curve ball your way. Instead if we slow down and humble ourselves, God can meet us there and help us carry our anxiety. We don’t have to carry our stress or anxiety alone! This is such good news.

Takeaway/Application:

Think of something in your life that is causing you stress or anxiety right now. Take a few moments to pray a simple prayer to God. Maybe it looks something like this: “God, I am struggling with ______. Please help me today to walk with you and allow you to help me carry this. Thank you for hearing my prayers and always being near. Amen.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read 1 Peter 5:10 and 11. Take a few moments in your day to journal about these verses. In what areas are you asking God to strengthen you?

DAY TWO

Thought for the day:

When we go through something difficult, it is so hard to ask for help. We want to be strong and figure it out ourselves. We might think “I’ve got this! I’m strong! I don’t need anyone else.” But what if God wants to help us by providing us community… those people in our lives that he gives us such as our Lifeline leaders or our friends, to help us through the tough times in life. We can ask for help when we are experiencing stress or anxiety.

Takeaway/Application:

Reach out to family member, mentor, or a friend and let him/her know something that is weighing you down. If you feel more comfortable, you can write it out first, and then share with someone you trust.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Philippians 4:6. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. What comes to mind as you read this verse? Present anything that is on your heart to God.

DAY THREE

Thought for the day:

God looks at you and says that you are loved. God says that you are His son, or that you are His daughter. God says that each of us have a purpose and a mission to show His great love to the world. Even when we have moments or seasons that are difficult, and when we lose sight of the direction we are headed, God has a purpose for us in this world. We can always ask God to help us get back on the path He has for us and guide us toward this purpose.

Takeaway/Application:

Think of 5 things you really enjoy doing. Write them down. Pay attention to the specific ways that God has created you to add goodness to the world around you.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Matthew 3:17. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. How does it feel that our God of the universe sees you as His son or daughter? How does it feel that with you, He is pleased?

DAY FOUR

Thought for the day:

If you are willing to go on this journey of humility, the first step is to try to identify the areas of your life that you might be grasping for control. The areas in which you rely on yourself and your own strength and abilities rather than truly relying on God. It could be family relationships, friendships, school, sports, social settings… Could you open up one of these areas to God and start to trust Him in a new way?

Takeaway/Application:

Start with both of your hands in tight fists. Think of something you are holding on to tightly, and controlling yourself. Now open your hands and offer whatever this thing or person is to God. Ask Him to help you release control.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Psalm 37:24. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. Write specifically about an area you want to release control and allow God to guide you.

DAY FIVE

Thought for the day:

We all have areas of our life in which we strive to be perfect, or have it all figured out. Think for a moment of an area of your life in which you strive for perfection. While doing your best and working towards your goals is fantastic, sometimes trying to be perfect can lead to feelings of anxiety. We are so hard on ourselves to get something to turn out perfect, that when we fail or that thing was not perfect after all, we start to believe there is something wrong with us. This is not true, friends. God asks us to be obedient and to try our best, but there is also grace for when we mess up.

Takeaway/Application:

What do you think of when you think of the word grace? One definition of grace is “unmerited favor”. Where do you need God’s grace in your life right now? Say a prayer and ask God’s grace to be in the places you need it today.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read 2 Corinthians 12:9. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. It says “God’s grace is all you need.” Do you believe this? Write your response to God.

DAY ONE

Thought for the day:

We choose what we focus on in our lives. We can’t always pick what we have, whether that be clothes, technology, or even our own physical beauty or our sports abilities, but we can pick what we focus on. Do we focus on the positive talents and gifts we have been given by God, or do we focus on what we are lacking? We can spend all day comparing ourselves to others, but where will that get us? We will probably feel worse.

Takeaway/Application:

Take a piece of paper and write down 3 things that you are grateful for TODAY. Focus on the positives from your day. They could be little things such as a frappuccino, or something big like your family member no longer is ill. Write these 3 things down and say THANK YOU to God for these blessings.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Colossians 3:15. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. What are you deeply thankful for? Tell someone else something you are thankful for today.

DAY TWO

Thought for the day:

Our anxiety feeds on distraction. Have you experienced this? You could be distracted by someone you have a crush on at school, distracted by the apps on your smart phone, distracted by YouTube, distracted by video games when you have homework… the list goes on. It is something different for each of us, but we all have distractions in our lives. If we let these distractions take up space in our days and lose focus on our priorities, this can build and cause anxiety.

Takeaway/Application:

Take a walk outside today (or maybe sit quietly by a window if it’s rainy or cold outside!). Just you and God, and without distractions such as music. See what you notice on this walk. Pay attention to nature around you. How does it feel to have zero distractions? Take some time to pray during this walk.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Matthew 6:27-28 several times. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. What word stands out to you? Think about this word for the rest of your day.

DAY THREE

Thought for the day:

In verse 33 it says “seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” We live such busy and full lives. So what does God mean when he encourages us to seek His kingdom first? We go to school, we keep up with friends, we spend time on social media, and sometimes even find time to sleep. How can we seek His kingdom throughout our entire day? The kingdom of God is explained as “the way the world should be when all is right and true”. Be thinking today of how you can seek truth and seek God in each part of your day.

Takeaway/Application:

Think of someone in your life you can help or encourage today that you know is going through a tough season. You could write a note or simply text a thoughtful, encouraging few words. As you encourage this person, pray for God to help you seek His kingdom as you do so.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Philippians 4:8. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. How does this verse remind you of the kingdom of God?

DAY FOUR

Thought for the day:

As we learn about the kingdom of God, there is also this thought of things that are anti-kingdom in our lives. You know… those things we know aren’t right that we need to stop doing. One way of figuring out what you need to eliminate is to slow down and review your last day. Ask yourself what is not reflecting goodness and truth in your life? Are there any people you haven’t been kind toward or any actions that you know weren’t done from a good heart?

Takeaway/Application:

Take three deep breaths. Think over your last 24 hours. Ask God to help you see any way that you were not reflecting His kingdom today. Ask for forgiveness and ask for the grace to start over again. Each day is new! There is grace from God to begin again.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Isaiah 41:10. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. Ask God for help when you review your day to notice how He can help you begin again.

DAY FIVE

Thought for the day:

Listen to this quote that was shared with us: “If you seek everything, you’ll get nothing. If you seek one thing, you’ll get everything.” When you think of this, how does it apply to your own life? Does it energize you to have a lot of things going on in one week, or does it drain you and maybe cause anxiety? It is impossible to pursue everything that interests us. We will always find new and shiny things to spend time on. And that is ok! But what if we first seek God, and let the rest follow? This will not be an overnight shift, but with time, if you focus on God and seek Him first, maybe just maybe the rest will become a bit less important.

Takeaway/Application:

As you read today’s devotional, is there something in your life that is taking up too much space and possibly causing you stress or anxiety? It is OK to let go of the things that are not as important, and are not a priority. Ask God to help you let go of anything that is getting in the way of seeking Him.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Psalm 34:4. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. As you consider letting go of things in your life that prevent you from following God, ask God to meet you in your fears that are related. He has the ability to free us from our fears!

DAY ONE

Thought for the day:

When things in our life are taken away or destroyed, where do we place our hope? When we are lonely or feeling abandoned, in whom or what do we place our hope? If you have a bad day, what is your go to? In Lamentations 3, verse 21 says “Yet I still dare to hope!” How can you be reminded of hope when life isn’t going as planned? One way of reminding yourself of hope is reading God’s word. Re-read Lamentations 3:21-24 and be thinking of where you place your hope.

Takeaway/Application:

Take a few moments to write out these verses from Lamentations 3:21-24. Maybe use something like a bright colored note card so it will catch your attention. Post these verses somewhere in which you will read them daily. Let these words become a daily read for you and see how it impacts how you view your days.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Ephesians 1:18. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. Pray specifically for God to open your eyes and your heart to hope today!

DAY TWO

Thought for the day:

You read in verse 23 that “His mercies are new every morning.” We will all mess up or make mistakes; it is part of being human and part of life. If God extends us new mercy each morning, this means we can always start over. We can always begin again, friends. God is with us and we can depend on Him. We do not have to hide in shame when we make mistakes. We can express our mistake to God, and ask Him for a new beginning.

Takeaway/Application:

Read Lamentations 3:25. What does it look like for you to depend on God as you place your hope in Him? Find a rock outside today. Hold onto the rock as you read this verse. God is dependable. He is there and can help us through anything. Allow the rock to be a physical reminder of God’s presence in your life.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Psalm 62:5. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. Hold on to the rock you found today as you read this verse.

DAY THREE

Thought for the day:

In Lamentations we read that God is a God of faithfulness. He will never leave us. What great news this is! Even when we do not feel God near, He is close by. His presence will never leave us. One reminder of God’s faithfulness is our breath that sustains our every day. You can use your breath as a simple reminder that we need it to be alive just as we need God to be fully alive. God is faithful.

Takeaway/Application:

A very simple way to find calm when feeling anxious is to focus on your breath. If your mind is busy thinking of your to-do list, close your eyes and take deep, slow breaths. Pay attention to how you feel as you breathe more slowly.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Job 33:4. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. It reads: “the breath of God gives me life.” As you take breaths today, be reminded that the creator of all life is sustaining you.

DAY FOUR

Thought for the day:

Throughout the Bible there are many instances of people feeling hopeless, where everything felt dark. Do you ever have a day like that? Everyone will experience a bad day here and there. It is OK to feel your feelings on these hard days. God wants to hear from you, on the good and the hard days. Any feeling you are having you can express to God and ask Him to bring you His hope through the darkest of times.

Takeaway/Application:

Find something beautiful that represents new life to you, such as a flower. Or it could be a photo of an image you really enjoy that brings you joy. Allow this reminder to be a sign of hope when you are stressed or anxious..

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read John 1:5. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. Where do you need light in your life right now?

DAY FIVE

Thought for the day:

We put our trust in something or someone each day. A lot of times we as humans put a lot of trust in our own abilities. But what happens when life hands us bad news? When we realize we don’t have control… Is our trust in our own abilities or in God? Many times we turn to God when we have nowhere else to turn. What if today, no matter if you are having a good or a bad day or a kind of “ok” day, you think about giving one more area to God and place your trust in Him.

Takeaway/Application:

Write the word TRUST down, and put it somewhere where you will see it every morning as you start your day. Notice who or what you are putting your trust in as you go about your day. If you start to observe that you are not trusting God, simply pause and say a simple prayer. “God help me to trust you with ____________.”

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Proverbs 3:5 slowly three times. What would it feel like or look like to trust God in all areas? Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse.

DAY ONE

Thought for the day:

God tells us in His word that we are one body with many parts. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. Not one single person can handle any difficult situation that comes their way. God gives us one another to support one another as we all have different gifts and abilities. Just as if the arm is broken it affects the entire body, so we are affected if one of our friends or family members is going through a difficult time. As one body in Christ we are called to care for one another.

Takeaway/Application:

Take a few minutes of your day to be quiet and mindful. As you take some deep breaths, be mindful of your feet, your legs, your torso, your arms, all the way up to your head. Is any part of your body in pain or feeling tense? Keep breathing as you scan your body. If there is any tension or pain, breathe and ask God to help you release whatever you are feeling. If we take time to be in the present and do a body scan, we are able to let some of our anxiety go and be aware of the bodies God has given us. Thank God for time to “be” and also express gratitude for the gift of our bodies and serving Him each day.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:23. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. In what ways would you like to ask God to renew and restore your mind and body today?

DAY TWO

Thought for the day:

Anxiety can feed off loneliness. Often times we are struggling with something that is reasonably small, and because we are alone and we start to think of the worst possible outcome, we then become more anxious. If we feel safe to tell a trusted friend what is going on, this could help both our feelings of loneliness and cause our anxiety to lower. God did not mean for us to live this life alone.

Takeaway/Application:

Write a note to a friend to let he or she know you are grateful for them and want to support them in any way you can. Together we can help one another when seasons of loneliness arise in our lives.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Isaiah 41:10. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. When we are lonely are discouraged, God says He is with us. How does this impact the times you feel lonely?

DAY THREE

Thought for the day:

God invites us to carry one another’s burdens. In order to truly know one another, we have to be vulnerable with what we are going through. To be vulnerable is to lower our walls and let others into our lives, no matter if we are having a fun and upbeat season, or a tough and troublesome season.

Takeaway/Application:

Ask a close friend or family member if you can help or support them in any way this week. Take a friend up on his or her offer and lend a helping hand. This is a way we can show support to our friends and carry each other’s burdens.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Psalm 55:22. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. Pick one of your burdens and give it to the Lord today. As you pray to surrender this burden, open your hands and ask God to help you.

DAY FOUR

Thought for the day:

We like to figure things out on our own. We like to be strong and capable of doing hard things. But there are times when we simply are not ok, and we need people to come alongside us when we are dealing with hard life situations. It is a sign of strength to ask others to help you in your times of need. Relationships deepen when we allow others to help us carry whatever it is we are experiencing. It is ok to receive support just as we desire to offer others our support.

Takeaway/Application:

It is ok to not be ok, but not by yourself. Pick a person this week to share something from your life with. It could be a mentor, a parent, or a friend you trust.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:11. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. Pick one person in your life to encourage this week either through a conversation or a written note.

DAY FIVE

Thought for the day:

We are stronger together as the body of Christ rather than trying to figure life out alone.

Takeaway/Application:

We used this image of an “anxiety monster”. How big or small is your anxiety monster in your life right now? Tell a trusted friend about what is causing you the most anxiety right now. It helps to rely on the strength of our community when our anxiety monsters are feeling big and scary.

Deeper Dive (Optional):

Read Romans 12:5. Take a few moments in your day to journal about this verse. It says “we all belong to each other”. Process how you can rely on your community and also how you can support someone in your community during this season.

• What are three things you learned from this series that you want to remember as you move forward?

• Thank God for the past few weeks and what you have learned from studying stress and anxiety.