1. Presented by: Mark E. Stortvedt, Ph.D., LMHP, CPC Developed through the Doctoral work of Dr. Lee Spitzer and Dr. Mark Stortvedt

2. The Purpose of the Bible and It’s Impact on our Lives Purpose - To aid us in the discovery of our life purpose and how this helps us understand the meaning (context) of our life experiences. Impact: 1. The Bible is filled with sovereignly chosen examples so that we would not crave evil things. I Corinthians 10: 1-6 2. The Bible was written to instruct us and encourage us so that we might not give up and have hope. Romans 15: 3-4 3. The Scriptures are profitable because they give us what we need to respond in a godly way to every circumstance. 2 Timothy 3:16

3. Defining Vision Vision is a gift of foreknowledge from God to your spirit enabling you to see a picture of where He is taking you that provides motivation and anticipation. Henrietta Mears - Sunday School teacher of Evangelist Billy Graham, Dawson Trottman founder of The Navigators Military and Collegic Ministry and Bill Bright founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International. There three men started and lead three of the largest world impacting ministries ever known. She challenged them and prayed for them that their dreams would be big enough to be worthy of bringing glory to a great God. Dreams that are worthy of our God are big enough that when they happen it cannot be explained by man’s effort.

4. One Word 87 Percent of us or 206 million people make New Years resolutions every year 50 % of resolution makers will fail by the end of January One Word - simplifies vision and gives clarity, power, and passion resulting in transformation. Personal testimony: life: negative thought patterns

5. Journey Model A journey is best characterized not by a circle as in some Eastern Cultures or by linear goals as in some Western Cultures but by a spiral. Eastern Culture Eastern Culture is best described as a circle because it focuses on internal progress hoping to be successful in returning at the same or a higher life level. Hebrew culture-cycle, Alpha/Omega comes back to the same point: Jonah/Simon the Tanner, Mt. Carmel/Battle of Armageddon Western Culture Western Culture is best described as a line because it focuses on external accomplishments, i.e. outcome goals or bench marks. Journey Model Journey Model focuses on the significance of both the internal and external journey hence it is best described as a spiral. Lets next look at the five stages one passes through during an internal or external journey

6. Two Levels of Journeys Internal journey – (Redemptive) focusing on embrace goals related to personal or corporate wholeness (transformation) External journey - (Mission) focus is on being other centered and reaching out to benefit people for a higher purpose Success in your personal journey is evaluated by faithfulness not perfection. Often an Internal Journey is followed by an External Journey.

7. Spiritual Journey Stages Preparation Discovery Cooperation Conclusion Renewal

8. Five Stages of a Personal or Corporate Journey People pass through five distinct phases in each journey they embrace. Phase One: Preparation (Unconscious) During this phase we pick up skills, tools, and insights that will be invaluable later on. We may be experiencing a rising level of anxiety, be thinking about new possibilities for the future, or be uncertain about what we should be doing. There is an inability to see the purpose or goal of the journey to come or what we are being prepared for. Moses was being prepared for his journey of leading the Israelites out of Egypt while being raised in Pharaoh's court and while being a shepherd for 40 years. Example: Unknown destination and packing

9. Phase Two: Discovery During this phase God unveils His plan for a particular season of our life. We discover what we are being called to do. Now it is possible to look back on the Preparation Phase and understand the significance of certain past events. Examples of this phase would be Abraham’s call to leave his country and relatives and go to a land He would show him, Moses’ call to lead God’s people out of Egypt, and Peter’s call to the Gentiles.

10. Phase Three: Cooperation During this phase we are given the freedom to choose to cooperate and embrace the journey or to reject it, resulting in a shadow journey. Mary the mother of Jesus chose to embrace her journey, as did Joseph the son of Jacob. Jonah rejected God’s call to preach to the Ninevites (Gentiles) and ended up on a shadow journey in the belly of a whale. Peter was called to take the gospel to the Gentiles in Joppa (Yaffa) and fully cooperated taking the gospel to Cornelius and he and his whole household were saved.

11. Phase Four: Arrival In this phase we reach the destination or goal of the journey. During this phase we reflect back on how God interacted with us during the journey and worship Him. We also go through a death experience in which we let go of what we have accomplished in order to be ready for the journey to come. Examples of arrival are Joseph, when the famine was over and had been successful in saving Egypt and his family from it. Peter, when he baptizes Cornelius family (the first Gentiles) into the faith. Moses because of his anger doesn’t get to physically experience his arrival phase as Joshua was chosen to lead the Israelites into the promised land. Out of God’s mercy He took Moses to a mountain so that he could see into the Promised Land.

12. Phase Five: Renewal During this final phase we experience a new sense of vitality and purpose. This phase overlaps with Phase One. As we accomplish the journey we are more mature, experienced, and aware. Jesus Renewal Phase is after his resurrection and includes His debriefing with the disciples as He waits for His next journey: the ascension. Joseph’s Renewal Phase is his reintegration into his family as a respected mature adult.

14. Journey Methods Journey Role Reversal – This is when someone has become critical and is having trouble cooperating with another on the journey. God will allow us to be in a spot where the roles are reversed and we can see the journey from the other person’s perspective. Example critical of someone for forgetting something and then forgetting something yourself. Journey Replay – This is when you have failed to cooperate in a journey so the same situation will develop again so that you have a second chance to cooperate with the journey and develop faithfulness to God. Correcting a significant error – Peter 3 Denial 3 Love statements and blind-spots Journey Reframing – This is when you have developed a wrong perspective of a journey experience and God allows the situation to replay itself so you can identify the wrong conclusion and correct it in your thinking. Prophetic Journey – When God allows us to go through something so that we can be a picture to another of a spiritual concept or principle. Hosea marry a prostitute so we can understand what it is like from God’s perspective to marry someone who is unfaithful. Go through something and people start coming to you because the sense Christ’s presence in that area of your life.

15. Preparation Are you experiencing a rising level of anxiety? thinking about new possibilities for the future? uncertain about what you should be doing? Are you finding yourself wondering about the purpose of what you are going through in your life now? There is a good possibility these things may be preparing you for the journey to come.

16. Discovery Who are the Bible characters and stories you relate to the most and why? Are there any particular scriptures or songs that are meaningful to you right now? Why? Are there any themes coming through from the answers to these questions? Is there something you are sensing God is asking you to do or a ministry He wants you to be a part of?

17. Cooperation If you have discovered what God is calling you to do, what has your response been to this call? Do you find yourself resisting and complaining, or are you at peace and willing to embrace the journey even when things are difficult?

18. Arrival Examples of celebration and reflection over personal accomplishments: Are you experiencing any grieving over the end of a personal journey?

19. Renewal Describe any increases in capacity that you have experienced after reaching the arrival stage in an internal and external journey? Any new preparation happening to prepare you for your next journey? What might that journey be?