Overview

Have you ever struggled to pray? Maybe you’ve said for years, “I need to read my Bible and pray more” but nothing ever sticks. This 5-week prayer journey through 1 John is an invitation – not to “try harder” – but to settle into the understanding that you are truly known and loved by God as you encounter him through his Word.

Each week of this prayer journey covers one of the five chapters of 1 John. For each day of the week, you’ll also learn a specific discipline or prayer rhythm to practice as you engage with God’s Word:

Day 1
Palms up, Palms down – This is the practice of releasing and receiving based on the text.

Day 2
Know, obey, confess, give thanks – Each day the reader is encouraged to slow themselves so as to be able to listen well.

Day 3
Study – Here the participant is encouraged to dig deeply into the text through the simple practices of noting words, themes and focal points.

Day 4
Truth, Lies and Declaration – On this day of the weekly study, you are taken to a deeper level of looking at the conversations in our heads and allowing God to speak to us through His Word.

Day 5
Lectio Divina – Through the ancient practice of multiple readings, God’s Word is known and heard in our own hearts.

Day 6
Obedience – In allowing the Word to speak to us, there is always a call to obedient change.

Day 7
Art – On the final day of each week, the creative side of God’s image in you is called into exercise as you consider what it is that you are hearing in His Word.

As you practice these prayer rhythms, you’ll discover new ways to communicate with, to learn from, and to build a relationship with the God who loves you deeply.

ISBN 978-0-89900-902-5

Features

1. Serves as both a study book and personal prayer journal
2. Open space for taking notes and writing prayers
3. ‘Lay-flat’ ring binding enables easy reading of this book alongside your open Bible
4. Endnotes, suggested readings, and a bibliography for continued study

Endorsements

From the Foreword by Julie Gariss

I like young people. I like their vitality, their passion when they latch on to a purpose, their spontaneity, their ability to jump into a challenge without being too put off by fear of failure. At the same time, young people can often charge headlong into the great unknown without a thought or a plan. Weighing the cost might be considered a vast waste of time when there is so much at stake!

And that is why I like old people. Old people may lack the sparkle of youth, but for those who have walked with Jesus year after year, well, they have something that young people long for – wisdom.

Jessie Skiles is an old soul in a young body. I have had the honor of being in a mentor relationship (not sure who was mentoring who!) when Jessie was a student at Ozark Christian College just a few years ago. She was delightful from day one. Don’t get me wrong – she dealt with the normal concerns of a college student – “Will I ever find the right mate?” “Should I do this internship?” “How do I deal with this difficult person in the dorm?” “How do I stay motivated in my classes when the workload is so heavy?”

But even then, the wisdom of God was growing in her because ... She. Desired. Him. God matures the believer who seeks him and it is evident in the wisdom they carry. That is why it is so easy to recommend this book: I trust Jessie’s words because I trust Jessie’s wisdom. So enjoy going deeper in your walk with our Lord as you use this guide through I John. I assure you it comes from the heart of a faithful young lady who is wise beyond her years.

And by the way – she graduated from college with honors, impacted our school with her character and maturity, and got the young man for whom she had prayed. They are now awaiting the birth of their first child!

-Julie Gariss, Co-director of Life and Ministry Preparation Center at Ozark Christian College

About the Author

“Known and loved by God.” Since graduating from Ozark Christian College in 2020, Jessica Skiles' involvement in ministry has taken different shapes – whether it is special education in the public schools, volunteering with international students and refugees in the area, or working as the Executive Assistant with Literature and Teaching Ministries. This year, she and her husband (and their newborn daughter!) will be moving to Japan as church planters with Mustard Seed Network.

Jessica Skiles serves as the editor of this volume and although she contributes substantially to the content, she has invited a number of excellent contributors who lend their voices to this important journey of faith devotion. Contributors include: Rhonda Heyward, Danielle Wheeler, Michelle Schaffer, Caitlyn Edwards, Alexandria Brazle, and Kim McIntire.