When we introduce ourselves to someone, we offer our name.
"Hello, my name is...."
Depending on the context, we may provide just our first name, our full name, or maybe even include our title. We may add how we're connected to the person introducing us or share where we're from. The closer our relationship becomes, the formal titles gradually slip away and we exchange greetings on a "first name basis." The more engaging our interactions evolve over time, we may even develop nicknames for one another or interject terms of endearment.
Our relationship with the Lord may also reflect our familiarity and our closeness with Him. We may start our prayers in formal settings differently than we do in our personal prayer time.
In circumstances of distress and anguish we may pray to "Abba Father." In moments of relief, we may express a quick, "Thank you, Jesus!"
The Lord is ever present and so multi-faceted that there are numerous names for Him throughout the Bible. Our topic for September is Names of God and by no means will we cover them all, but hopefully we'll expand our awareness of His character by exploring the diversity of His names.
"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." Revelation 1:8
I'm getting started by prepping the September calendar in the 2022 Monthly Bible Quilt Journal with the daily verses:
Next is writing out the scriptures onto a flip card set to use as a quick reference throughout the month. Thanks to Mary Jo who has curated our group of scriptures for this month and has formatted a typed set for us that is available here. 😀
If you've been following along since the beginning of the year, our handy resource set of topics is growing!!
In conjunction with our 30-day reference list, Mary Jo has compiled a collection of verses for 52 Names of God. You can use this in your personal study to focus on one per week for a year!
Once you've got your scriptures gathered up, you're all set to begin the 2-page spread in the Monthly BQ Journal. Or you can download the template here if you don't have the journal yet.
As we add the daily verses, our page will fill up with beautiful scriptures about God's many attributes and identities.
You may also choose to use verses that particularly impact you on the featured template for the month, the Names of God nametags, designed by Mary Jo. These little nametags are going to be so cute filled in with scriptures about God's various identities! I've gotten started by shading in the upper part of each nametag and next I've got to select a half-dozen of my favorite godly traits to add.
Is it hard to select just a few Names of God to do a special page??
Mary Jo has got us covered!! Here's a cute set of mini clipboards that you can use to capture even more of His special names! The set includes a black & white version as well as a colorful one. It's available in both sizes to accommodate whichever journal size you have.
Another resource you might want to tap into this month is the Names of God set from ArabahJoy.com. I'm curious to see the variety of identities we've found for the Lord!
With back-to-school season upon us, our children and families will be making introductions to many others in their schools and communities, learning new names and making tender connections. This is a great time to focus some prayers especially on our kids as they navigate new experiences. I've got my ABC Prayers for my son back out on my desk and I'm renewing my efforts to intentionally pray for him on my morning walks. Click here for more ideas for college students!
We're all still tiptoeing our way back into "regular" activities, so let's be alert for opportunities to introduce ourselves to others at school, church, and all those extracurricular activities you're shuffling your kids to. You may make someone's day... and perhaps a new friend to share the love of Christ amidst your daily routines!
Join our next Zoom chat and we'll practice all these things together:
Quick links to accessories for this topic: