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Contents
Half Title Page
Title Page
Copyright Page
WEEK 1
The Practice of Noticing
[zoom lens]
Day 1 What Do You See?
Day 2 What Do You Want to See?
Day 3 What Jesus Saw
Day 4 The Secret Way
Day 5 A New Lens
WEEK 2
The Practice of Processing
[ in then through ]
Day 6 The Right Way to Start
Day 7 Planted and Cultivated
Day 8 Creating a Plan
Day 9 How Through Happens
Day 10 Planted
WEEK 3
The Practice of Being Present
[the proximity principle]
Day 11 The March
Day 12 The Power of Proximity
Day 13 Sent to Invade Earth
Day 14 Overcome the Fear. Take the Risk.
Day 15 Present into Presence
WEEK 4
The practice of Doing Compassion
[the power of and ]
Day 16 Real Compassion Acts
Day 17 The And
Day 18 Who Is It Whos Hurting?
Day 19 Give Me Your Heart
Day 20 I Was Wrong
WEEK 5
The Practice of Salting
[extra mile mentality]
Day 21 Gods Dream for Your Life
Day 22 Second Mile Living
Day 23 Who Lives This Way?
Day 24 Who Lives This Way... Other Than Jesus?
Day 25 What Happens When We Live This Way?
WEEK 6
The Practice of Giving Grace
[dont be a prig]
Day 26 Lead with Love
Day 27 Tempted to Condemn
Day 28 Does Condemning Work?
Day 29 The Key to Everything
Day 30 Free Samples at the Food Court
WEEK 7
The Practice of Celebrating
[one party at a time]
Day 31 Fight for Your Right
Day 32 A Mattress Party
Day 33 The Party Planning Committee
Day 34 Sardines
Day 35 Egg Salad Sandwiches and Dumps Punch
WEEK 8
The Practice of Weighing Words
[one word at a time]
Day 36 Words Create Worlds
Day 37 Dear Daughters of God
Day 38 What Words?
Day 39 I Wish You Were Mine
Day 40 A Cheap Bracelet and Some Precious Words
WEEK 9
The Practice of Loving
[one expression at a time]
Day 41 We Love Love, but What Kind of Love?
Day 42 What Is It Like to Love You?
Day 43 What Is It Like to Be Them?
Day 44 Touch
Day 45 Three Miles per Hour
WEEK 10
The Practice of Connecting
[one conversation at a time]
Day 46 Privacy, Privacy, Privacy
Day 47 Excuses
Day 48 Godportunities
Day 49 The Nudge
Day 50 What Do I Say?
WEEK 11
The Practice of Listening
[one meal at a time]
Day 51 Meals Heal
Day 52 Please, God, Let Me Listen
Day 53 Listen to God. Listen to People.
Day 54 Eats with Sinners
Day 55 Breaking Down the Wall
WEEK 12
The Practice of Serving
[one need at a time]
Day 56 Choose Love
Day 57 Small Is the New Big
Day 58 Compassion Fatigue
Day 59 Rejection Therapy
Day 60 Gods Answer Is Me
About the Author
Back Ads
Back Cover
Week 1: The Practice of Noticing [Zoom Lens]
DAY
What Do You See?
THE CROWDS PUSHED IN all around her. Dozens of voices shouting so close her ears rang with their pleas and demands. Everyone wanted something from the man walking past.
She managed to catch glimpses of him between all the shoulders and was surprised to see he looked very ordinary. The way the crowd gravitated toward him suggested anything but that. Heart pounding against her rib cage, she knew her last chance at healing the sickness that had taken so much from her was about to walk past unless she did something.
A sliver of space between two people opened up, and she quickly slipped between them. Now nothing separated her from the Son of God but the distance of an arms length. Awe at being this close to Jesus almost stopped her in her tracks, but the hope swelling in her chest urged her forward. She knew if she could just touch him, she would be healed, and so faith propelled her. She reached out and managed to just skim the edge of his cloak.
It was enough. Immediately, she knew. The constant bleeding was gone. Overcome with relief, she barely heard the voice that spoke over the crowd.
Who touched me? the voice asked. I felt the power go out of me. Oh no. Her breath caught in her throat as she looked up and met Jesuss eyes.
But the men surrounding him, his disciples, laughed incredulously at his question. You see the people crowding against you; it could have been anyone, they said.
Jesus continued to lock eyes with her and, as seconds that felt like minutes ticked by, she realized she couldnt go unnoticed. Fear shook her small frame as she hesitantly walked to him and fell at his feet.
I-I was the one who touched you. She couldnt look him in the eyes as she spoke. And now I am healed.
Jesuss gentle voice soothed her nerves as he said loud enough for everyone to hear, Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering (see Mark 5:2434).
QUESTION: Who has God put in your life who needs healing? If no one comes to mind, pray until someone does. How could you touch that person in a way that might relieve some of their suffering and possibly point them to Jesus?
CHALLENGE: One thing we tend to notice is... our phones. So, how about every time you touch your phone today, you say a quick prayer for a hurting person you can touch with Jesuss love?
DAY
What Do You Want to See?
WE SEE WHAT WE WANT TO SEE.
Psychologists have a term for that: motivated perception . The idea is we dont see everything. What we notice is biased and selective.
You may have heard of your reticular activating system . No? Heres the scientific, super-nerdy definition:
The reticular activating system (RAS) is a network of neurons located in the brain stem that project anteriorly to the hypothalamus to mediate behavior, as well as both posteriorly to the thalamus and directly to the cortex for activation of awake, desynchronized cortical EEG patterns.