1) Malachi 3:1–4 (page #890, in blue church Bibles)
2) God wants what’s best for us and to bring healing and ____________________ into our lives. We may not always see how this works, but God has our best interests in mind.
3) Mary’s answer reflected an unwavering trust in God’s ____________________. She knew she could trust God because if God could make it so when she got pregnant through a miracle, God was trustworthy enough to sustain her through anything that happened afterward.
4) Luke 1:46–55 (page #948, in blue church Bibles)
5) Mary’s life ______________________ God’s faithfulness to lift the humble and fill the hungry with good things. Even in Mary’s unexpected situation, she praised God and sang about God’s faithfulness. Her song remembered what God had done in the past, which gave her hope for the present and future.
6) Christmas reminds us God can __________________.
7) So next time you are going through a difficult time, here’s two things you should understand:
1. HAVING QUESTIONS DOESN’T MEAN WE LACK ____________________.
2. REFLECTING ON YOUR __________________ BUILDS TRUST.

1) Fill out the reflection page on the back.
2) Today, who is one person you can talk to about helping you learn what it looks like to trust God?

1) We saw last week that even though God’s presence may seem absent, God was always there, seeking humanity out, talking about a future moment where their relationship would be ___________________.
2) Luke 2:1–5 (page #949, in blue church Bibles)
3) Micah 5:2–5 (page #866, in blue church Bibles)
4) You can find ______________ in God’s plans because if God can use someone like Caesar, God can use anyone.
5) Luke 2:6–7 (page #949, in blue church Bibles)
6) The God who created the whole universe and put the stars in the sky could have chosen for Jesus to be born in any way. God could’ve chosen a palace or the best home available. Still, God chose for Jesus to be born in a messy manger, on the property of strangers, to show that ________________________ into the story of Jesus.
7) Luke 2:8–20 (page #949, in blue church Bibles)
8) Christmas reminds us God __________________.
9) So, here are a few ways to experience God’s presence this Christmas.
1. _____________ GOD INTO YOUR LIFE.
2. _____________ PAYING ATTENTION.

1) Fill out the reflection page on the back.
2) Spend time this week paying attention to the ways God speaks to you. Even if God seems silent, write down a few things you notice and share them with someone you trust.

1) Isaiah 9:2–7 (page #638, in blue church Bibles)
2) The Savior wouldn’t come to overthrow the government with an iron fist or with superpowers to strike fear in everyone around Him. God’s Savior would save us through His peaceful presence, healing power, _____________________, enduring faithfulness, and grace, which brings peace to our chaos.
3) Jeremiah 33:14–16 (page #739, in blue church Bibles)
4) This passage reminds us that no matter what darkness we may find ourselves in, Jesus is with us in the midst of that darkness, working to _________________ from its power.
5) Christmas reminds us Jesus is ___________________.
6) Jesus is the light in the darkness. Here are a few ways you can focus on that this week.
1. _________________ IS TEMPORARY.
2. DARKNESS IS DRIVEN OUT WITH __________________.

1) Fill out the reflection page on the back.
2) Today, what's a specific way you can be a light to someone you know who is walking through a difficult or dark time in their life?

1) 1 Samuel 1:1–20 (page #250, in blue church Bibles)
2) Even when it felt like no one was _______________________, Hannah still went to God. She waited for God to respond, but that didn’t stop her from praying.
3) The central piece of this story is Hannah’s ______________________while she was doubting, even when there wasn’t a response.
4) Sometimes, God responds to us by saying, “Not yet” or “No.” That is so hard for us to hear and can frustrate us. But, sometimes, we’re _________________ for what’s next and need some extra time to collect ourselves, grow in wisdom, and develop our trust. Knowing God doesn’t respond to us because we pray faithfully is important. Like it is a reward for doing the right spiritual things. The reason why God answers some prayers and not others is a mystery. But we know that as we pray amid our doubts, God ______________ and deepens our faith in ways that don’t come by any other means.
5) Psalm 138:1–3 (page #579, in blue church Bibles)
6) When it feels like God doesn’t hear you, ___________________________.
7) Here are a few things we read in Scripture this week that we can follow:
1. _____________ WHAT YOU NEED.
2. FIND ___________________ IN COMMUNITY.
3. _____________ THROUGH IT ALL.

1) What's one way you can approach prayer this week not to get what you want but to grow your trust in God?

1) Genesis 18:1–15 (page #14, in blue church Bibles)
2) God showed up to ________________ Sarah and Abraham. God was ready to rewrite the story and do something new with these two. God’s plans would reignite their hope, trust, and love for God.
3) Matthew 19:26 (page #914, in blue church Bibles)
4) Instead of gripping onto our possessions or ___________________________, we can cling to God and learn to trust that God will surprise us by working things out for our good.
5) The great thing about _________________ is that God doesn’t require us to have perfect and structured prayers, or prayers that are absent of doubt. Instead, God invites all of us to step into the light of prayer just as we are.
6) If you’re looking for a way to start praying or grow in your conversations with God, here are a few things you can try:
1. ____________ TO GOD LIKE YOU WOULD A FRIEND.
2. _____________ TO GOD LIKE YOU WOULD A FRIEND.
3. EXPERIENCE GOD’S ________________ WHILE YOU DO REGULAR THINGS.
7) When you’ve lost hope, ask God to ________________________.
8) If parts of your life feel hopeless, God wants to meet you in those moments. Like Abraham and Sarah, there’s still more to your story, even if it’s hard to see. So, when things feel heavy and hopeless, talk with God and say:
1. “___________________.”
2. “I WILL ___________.”
3. “___________________.”

1) Have you ever been surprised by God? How can you make yourself ready to see a surprise from God this week?
2) This week, when you lack hope, what's one way you will ask God to surprise you?

1) Jeremiah 7:1–7 (page #708, in blue church Bibles)
2) We can’t stop people from disappointing us. People make mistakes—we make mistakes all the time. But instead of giving up on a relationship, we can try something different. We can ____________________________ we don’t see in our relationships.
3) Psalm 25:1–3 (page #507, in blue church Bibles)
4) Our disappointments, doubts, and questions because of other people’s hypocrisy don’t have to _______________________________. Instead, we can enter the light and live differently for ourselves and our community.
5) When Jesus’ followers __________________________, be what you don’t see.
6) So, the next time Jesus’ followers disappoint you, here are a few questions you can ask to help you start being what you don’t see:
1. WHAT’S MY _____________ IN THE PROBLEM?
2. WHAT DOES A ______________________ LOOK LIKE?
3. ASK GOD FOR ___________________.
4. WHAT AM I ___________________?

1) How can you tell you are stuck in disappointment when you are simply processing disappointment? What is something you can do when you feel stuck with disappointment?
2) This week, when Jesus' followers disappoint you, what is one thing you will do to be what you don't see?

1) 2 Kings 5:1–10 (page #343, in blue church Bibles)
2) 2 Kings 5:11–14 (page #343, in blue church Bibles)
3) We can doubt God’s in the shadows and forget __________________________. Or, we can trust God and believe that God is still at work in the shadows.
4) If you’re working through a dark time in your life that you’ve never experienced before, that’s a great time to reach out to __________________________________. Ask someone who’s been following Jesus longer than you. Invite someone you know to step into your shadows and help bring you back towards light.
5) Psalm 143:1–6 (page #582, in blue church Bibles)
6) When you doubt God can be trusted, ____________ what God’s already done.
7) Here are a few more ways, besides music, that can help us remember to trust God in seasons of doubt:
1. DON’T ______________ THE SHADOWS.
2. REMEMBER THE ___________________.
3. _______________________YOUR SHADOW.

1) Why do you think it's important amid our doubts to trust that God never changes? This week, what would it look like to talk to God when you have doubts?
2) Today, when you doubt God can be trusted, what is one step you can take to remember what God has already done?

1) Mark 10:13–16 (page #938, in blue church Bible)
2) No one is an ________________________ to Jesus, and His followers hadn’t fully wrapped their minds around the fact that everyone was worth Jesus’ time.
3) The people who are unseen and undervalued are the ones to whom Jesus is most adamant __________________ in the community of people who follow Him.
4) 1 Corinthians 12:12–31 (page #1061, in blue church Bible)
5) The church is the most beautiful reflection of the _____________________ when everyone lives in their identity in Jesus, uses their gifts, and works together in the mission of God.
6) From now on, Jesus gives you a _________________________.
7) Here are a few ways to start pursuing relationships that hold each other up, like the redwoods:
1. BE A _________________________.
2. __________________________YOURSELF WITH GOOD FRIENDS.
3. _____________________ A MENTOR AND BE A MENTOR.

1) Fill out the “Cathedral Tree” sheet. Bring it next week to share in small group.
a) Where have you felt a sense of belonging before? What does that feel like?
b) How can you help others experience a sense of belonging?
c) Write down the names of the people who are holding you up, and who you are helping  to hold up. After you write down a few names, spend some ti answering the 2 questions above.
2) This week, what is one thing you will do to help people feel like they can belong with Jesus?

1) John 15:9–15 (page #999)
2) We don’t have to _____________ Jesus’ love. Jesus’ love is always present, but we experience His love most clearly and personally when we follow His guidance.
3) Remaining in God’s love means trusting that ________________________ is found in Jesus. When we remain and abide in Jesus, He gives us what our soul craves—love. When we do that, we can share love with others.
4) Psalm 36:5–10 (page #515)
5) From now on, trust Jesus ________________ you.
6) Here are a few ways we can connect with God’s love in ways you may have never thought of before.
1. LOOK FOR PEOPLE ________________________.
2. LOOK FOR ______________ IN CREATION.
3. LOOK AT HOW _________________________________ PEOPLE.
7) The New Testament in the Bible was written in ancient Greek, and it has four words for love:
1. STORGE: affection for _____________ or things.
2. PHILIA: is the type of love found in ______________________.
3. EROS: ______________________ love.
4. AGAPE: unconditional love. This is best displayed _____________________.

1) Fill out the “Different Types of Love” sheet. Bring it next week to share in small group:
a) What are some examples of affectionate love (store)? For example, the love of a parent or your love or a sport or hobby. What does that tell you about God's love?
b) What examples of the friendship type of love (philia) have you seen or experienced? How does that help you understand what God's love is like?
c) Who are good examples that you can think of when you think of healthy romantic love (eros)? What does that tell you about the way God loves us?
d) In your own words, what does it mean for Jesus to love you unconditionally (agape)?

1) Mark 4:36–38 (page #931)
2) The disciples voiced their frustration, doubt, and fear. They _______________.
3) Mark 4:39-41 (page #931)
4) Jesus didn’t want His disciples to be swept up in fear. He wanted them to see that from now on, they could have peace anywhere. He wanted to help them see peace is possible even ________________________.
5) Psalm 29:1–4 & 10–11 (page #509-510)
6) From now on, let Jesus ___________________________.
7) During your next storm, here are a few things you can do to let Jesus give you peace:
1. SHARE _______________________________.
2. SPEND TIME  _________________________.
3. SPEND TIME __________________________ GOD’S WORDS.

1) Read Philippians 4:6–7. Why do you think it says God's peace will guard your hearts and minds? How could that play out in your day-to-day life?
2) For you, what would peace from Jesus feel like? What is one way you can live in Jesus' peace this week?

1) John tells how ______________________________He encountered that everything God wanted for the world and humanity was available and possible only through Him.
2) John 1:9–14 (page 981)
3) Jesus came to be with us so that we can see Him, understand Him, and know that He understands us. Jesus doesn’t wait for us to go to Him with all the answers. He comes to us _________________________________.
4) Matthew 28:16–20 (page 926)
5) Even when we don’t _______________________, Jesus invites us to a meaningful life and promises to be with and guide us each step.
6) From now on, ____________________ is with you.
7) Here are a few simple ways to remind us to take time to focus on Jesus and be reminded we can trust Him.
1. ____________.
2. KEEP TRACK OF GOD _______________________.

1) What is one thing that holds you back from trusting that Jesus is with you? How can we, as a group, help you with that this week?
2) When you doubt God is with you this week, what is one thing you can do that will help you reconnect with God?

1) Matthew 14:22–33 (page 910)
2) Through _______________________, friends can help us be more like Jesus while growing our friendship.
3) When we accept a challenge from Jesus, we open ourselves up to a _____________________________________.
4) Hebrews 10:24 (page 1109)
5) Friends ________________________________ to challenge each other.
6) Let's look at a few ways we can learn to challenge our friends as Jesus did and invite them to be more like Him.
            1. CHOOSE TO_____________.
            2. BE ___________________.
            3. _______________ STAY SILENT.
            4. TALK WITH, ______________________.
7) _____________________________ Jesus are encouraged to encourage others in love and kindness. But we need to demonstrate this lifestyle before we expect those around us to accept these challenges. Remember to take these steps to heart before asking them of someone else.

1) What could you say to friends that helps them know that you care about them and challenges them to be more like Jesus?
2) Why do they think your friends are feeling the way they are? Spend a few moments praying for them this week.

1) Matthew 14:13–21 (page 909) 
2) Jesus knows ____________________ and will stop at nothing to make sure we have those resources, like food, love, and peace. 
3) He taught His disciples and teaches us that __________________________, including our enemies, is part of following Him. 
4) Luke 6:31–32 (page 955) 
5) We know Jesus loves us, and when we follow Him, we see people the way He sees everyone — _________________________________. 
6) Friends don't miss a chance to _____________________________. 
7) Let's take a look at some practical ways to notice and serve like Jesus. 
              1. PAY ____________________. 
              2. OFFER ___________________. 
              3. CALL ___________________. 
8) Jesus shows us that friendships are not just about what we receive but how best to go through life together. Friendships are _________________. Jesus wants us to care for others, but He also wants us to have friends who care for and support us.

1) Do you struggle to notice your friends' needs? What are a few things you could do to grow in this area?
2) What step will you take this week to ensure you don't miss a chance to care for your friends?