📘 I Am: The God Who Gets Close — Resource Guide

Dates: February 22 – April 5, 2026

Subtitle: A Lenten journey into the nearness of God

Key Passages:

Exodus 3:1–15

Genesis 32:22–31

Daniel 3:13–27

1 Kings 19:1–13

Luke 22:14–30

Luke 22:39–46

John 20:1–18

Formation Practice

Lent is not about striving — it is about drawing near.

Each week, practice:

• Daily 5-minute stillness. Begin with the prayer:  “God, You are here.”
  
  
• Engage in Lectio Divina-style reflection on that week’s main text.
  
  
• Commit to the Lent reading plan on YouVersion
  
  • Google Doc Version use tabs on the left to navigate
    
    
• Complete this sentence in your journal:
  
  “God met me here: __________________.”
  
  

Series Synopsis

God doesn’t just exist. He is present.

I Am: The God Who Gets Close is a Lenten journey through the character of God as revealed in Scripture. From Moses’ burning bush to Jesus’ outstretched arms, we discover that God’s name isn’t a distant doctrine, it is a living invitation.

Whether you feel close to God or far from Him, this series is about learning to recognize His nearness — in wilderness seasons, wrestling matches, silent nights, shared tables, dark gardens, and empty tombs.

Lent moves us toward Easter not by information, but by intimacy.

🧭 Series Roadmap

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Week 1

Feb 22

I Am With You in the Desert

Exodus 3:1–15

God meets us in the wilderness.
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Week 2

Mar 1

I Am With You in the Fight

Genesis 32:22–31

Wrestling can become intimacy.
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Week 3

Mar 8

I Am With You in the Fire

Daniel 3:13–27

Presence transforms suffering.
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Week 4

Mar 15

I Am With You in the Silence

1 Kings 19:1–13

God’s whisper is still presence.
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Week 5

Mar 22

I Am With You at the Table

Luke 22:14–30

Closeness is offered, not earned.
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Week 6

Mar 29

I Am With You in the Garden (Palm Sunday)

Luke 22:39–46

Surrender deepens intimacy.
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Week 7

Apr 5

I Am With You in the Dark (Easter)

John 20:1–18

Resurrection proves God’s nearness.

📚 Recommended Reading

Books to Go Deeper

• The Divine Conspiracy — Dallas Willard
  
  
• The Attentive Life — Leighton Ford
  
  
• Abide in Christ — Andrew Murray
  
  
• A Burning in My Bones — Winn Collier
  
  

These works explore presence, spiritual attentiveness, and abiding intimacy with God.

🎧 Podcasts & Messages

• Renovaré Podcast
  
  
• The Next Right Thing — Emily P. Freeman
  
  
• Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership — Ruth Haley Barton

🌐 Websites

• renovare.org — Resources for spiritual formation rooted in presence with God

Renovaré is a ministry founded by Richard Foster that equips Christians to grow spiritually through practices like solitude, silence, Scripture meditation, and compassionate presence. Their site offers articles, guides, and devotional resources that help you deepen your relationship with God—not by performance, but by abiding in His presence.

• emotionallyhealthy.org — Tools for integrating emotional health and Christian discipleship

Emotionally Healthy Spirituality (Peter Scazzero) emphasizes that you cannot grow spiritually beyond your emotional and relational development. This site provides teaching, assessments, rhythms (like Sabbath and silence), and practical tools that help you become more aware of your inner life and more resilient in relationships—important for understanding how God draws close to the whole person.

• practicingtheway.org — Practical practices for everyday discipleship

Practicing the Way (associated with John Mark Comer and the Practicing community) offers short, experience-based resources that help you cultivate Jesus-centered habits (practices like silence, Scripture rhythms, Sabbath, and community engagement). The emphasis is on doing rather than just knowing—helpful for people learning to sense God’s presence in ordinary life.

🧠 Key Concepts & Practices

Spiritual Practices to Try

• Stillness Before Speech: Begin prayer by noticing God’s presence before asking for anything.
  
  
• Presence Journal: Record moments when you sensed God in ordinary spaces.
  
  
• Surrender Prayer (Garden Practice):  “Not my will, but Yours.”
  
  
• Table Practice: Share a meal intentionally this Lent — slow down and practice attentive listening.

Key Terms

• Presence — God’s active nearness, not passive observation
  
  
• Abiding — Remaining relationally connected to God
  
  
• Surrender — Trust expressed through release
  
  
• Resurrection Hope — Darkness is never the final word
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🙌 Community & Next Steps

• Commit to the daily, 43-day Lent devotional on YouVersion
  
  
• Invite friends & family to the Palm Sunday and Easter gatherings who feel spiritually distant
  
  
• Join a Lent cohort or small group
  
  

Weekly Challenge:

“This week, I will notice God’s presence in __________.”

✍️ Reflection & Prayer Prompts

• Where do you feel spiritually distant right now?
  
  
• What “desert” or “fire” are you walking through?
  
  
• What would it look like to trust that God is already near?
  
  
• What are you holding back in the garden?
  
  

Prayer

God who Is, You meet us in deserts, in fires, in silence, in surrender, and even in the dark.

Teach us to recognize Your nearness. Quiet our hurry.

Soften our resistance. Draw us close — not just in Easter celebration,

but in everyday awareness.

Amen.

📌 Notes

Use this space to capture insights, questions, or conversations God invites you into during this series.

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