A guide to downtime with Jesus
What This is About
For a seed to grow, you must add water. For us to grow, we must add water. Jesus is the living water, the only one who can grow us. Just Add Water is all about supporting you in growing. To grow requires downtime to meet with Jesus. If you are willing, He will grow you - not always when you want and how you want, but you will grow.
Read the Bible
Why is it important to read the Bible? It is God’s word to us. As we read it, we learn about who He is, who we are, His incredible love for us, what we find in Him, and the incredible life He calls us to live. This book will change your life; the only thing required is that you make time to actually read it.
5 Days a Week
If you read ONLY 14 verses a day, 5 days a week for 10 weeks, you will read through the book of Mark. Mark is one of the Gospels (books all about the life of Jesus Christ). The most important thing for you to do in your relationship with Jesus Christ is to grow in your understanding of Him. He is the most incredible person to ever live.
Why so many “Practices”?
Would you be satisfied if you always got the same thing for dinner? No way. You feel like eating different food on different nights. We are all wired uniquely, so different practices help different people connect to God, not to mention that variety keeps things fresh. Also, in different times in our lives, different practices increase our connection with Jesus. In turn, we grow in Him. He is the living water that causes us to grow from a seed to a plant that bears fruit...that basically means he adds awesome-sauce to our lives.
Other Practices you will have a chance to exercise Pray = Listen and talk to God. Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield
Praise = “God, you are _______. God you have ________.” (Tell Him how awesome He is.) Repent = “God, please forgive me for __________.” Ask = Ask God to meet your needs and the needs of others. Yield = Trust that God sees the whole picture and knows what’s best
Confession = “Oops, I blew it. Will you forgive me?” 1. Invite Jesus to reveal any sin in your life. 2. Consider how this sin has affected you and others. Spend time on this. Write it down. 3. Ask Jesus (and those you have hurt) to forgive you.
Prayer Walk = Separate yourself from distractions and other people and just talk and listen to God as you walk on a trail or around your neighborhood. (Length of time is flexible - at least 5 minutes.)
Breath Prayer = A one sentence prayer that you repeat to yourself. (i.e. “Jesus give me peace,” “Jesus you are my strength,” or, “Jesus open my eyes to your presence.”)
Pray in Community = Pray with another person or other people.
Journal = Write on a piece of paper. Silence = Stop talking, doing, and playing and just be. (You must unplug for this one.)
Gratitude = Saying thank you is very polite and shockingly powerful. Make a list of everything that you are thankful for in your life. Fill a minimum one 8½ x 11 piece of paper. Just get started and you will realize that it’s easy!
Serve = Put others before yourself. This includes encouraging others.
The Book of Mark Full Reading Plan Week 1
M 1:1-15 Pray Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield Tu 1:16-28 Journal What do you care about? What does Jesus care about? W 1:29-45 Silence Th 2:1-12 Gratitude F 2:13-28 Serve
Week 2 M Tu W Th F
3:1-19 3:20-35 4:1-20 4:21-34 4:35-41
Week 3 M Tu W Th F
5:1-20 5:21-43 6:1-13 6:14-29 6:30-44
Pray Confession Journal Who is in Jesus’ family? Silence Gratitude Serve Pray Prayer Walk Journal How big is your faith? Silence Gratitude Serve
Key Interactions & Teachings: Week 1
M 1:9-13 W 1:40-45 F 2:1-12
Week 2
M 2:13-17 Calling of and Eating with Levi W 2:27-3:6 Healing on Sabbath
Week 3
M 4:1-12 W 4:13-20 F 4:35-41
Week 4
Week 4
Week 5
Week 5
Week 6
Week 6
Week 7
Week 7
Week 8
Week 8
Week 9
Week 9
Week 10
Week 10
M 6:45-56 Pray Breath Prayer Tu 7:1-23 Journal Do you care more about following rules to look good, or about loving God? W 7:24-37 Silence Th 8:1-13 Gratitude F 8:14-26 Serve M 8:27-33 Pray Pray in Community Tu 8:34-9:1 Journal What are you willing to give up for Jesus? W 9:2-13 Silence Th 9:14-29 Gratitude F 9:30-41 Serve M 9:42-50 Pray Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield Tu 10:1-16 Journal What does it mean to believe like a child? W 10:17-31 Silence Th 10:32-45 Gratitude F 10:46-52 Serve M 11:1-11 Pray Confession Tu 11:12-26 Journal What do you need to pray for? Who do you need to forgive? W 11:27-33 Silence Th 12:1-12 Gratitude F 12:13-27 Serve M 12:28-44 Pray Prayer Walk Tu 13:1-11 Journal Do you believe the Holy Spirit can speak through you? W 13:12-23 Silence Th 13:24-37 Gratitude F 14:1-11 Serve M 14:12-26 Pray Breath Prayer Tu 14:27-42 Journal Do you care more about what you want, of what God wants? W 14:43-52 Silence Th 14:53-65 Gratitude F 14:66-72 Serve M Tu W Th F
15:1-20 Pray Pray in Community 15:21-32 Journal Why didn’t Jesus save himself? 15:33-41 Silence 15:42-16:8 Gratitude 16:9-20 Serve
Baptism & Temptation Pray Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield Man with Leprosy Journal Write your thoughts & questions Healing of Paralytic Silence
M 5:1-20 W 5:21-34 F 6:7-12
M 7:31-37 W 8:1-13 F 8:27-30
Gratitude Serve
Parable of Sower Pray Confession Explanation of Parable of Sower Journal Write your thoughts & questions Jesus Calms Storm Silence Jesus and Legion Bleeding Woman & Dead Girl Jesus Sends Out 12 Prayer Walk
Gratitude Serve Pray
Healing of Deaf and Mute Man Journal Write your thoughts & questions Feeding of 4,000 Silence Peter’s Proclamation of Christ Gratitude
M 8:31-37 Jesus Predicts His Death Serve W 9:33-37 Who is the Greatest? Pray Breath Prayer F 10:17-31 Rich Young Ruler/Cost of Following Journal Write your thoughts & questions
M 11:12-19 Jesus Clears Temple W 12:28-34 Great Commandments F 12:41-44 True Generosity
Silence Gratitude Serve
M 14:12-26 Last Supper Pray Pray in Community W 14:32-42 Jesus Prays in Garden Journal Write your thoughts & questions F 14:43-52 Jesus Arrested Silence
M 14:66-72 Peter Disowns Jesus W 15:1-15 Jesus Before Pilate
Gratitude Serve
M 15:21-47 Jesus Crucified & Buried Pray Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield W 16:1-8 Jesus Raised from Dead Journal Write your thoughts & questions F 16:9-19 Jesus Visits Disciples Silence