The Word Account: A Poetic Devotional

By Kathleen Coffey

He is the Author - we are the pen.

If we give God our time, He will bless us with wisdom and understanding far greater than we could ever comprehend or expect. It is my prayer that by reading my journal entries inspired by Scripture, you too will come to write and allow the Lord to speak into your life through pen and pape

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trilogy Christian Publishing
• Release date: Sep 25, 2023
• ISBN: 9798890411747

Kathleen Coffey

Kathleen Coffey is a born and raised Tennessean and lives on her family's farm. You can mostly find her outside soaking up the Lord's creation, spending time with her family and friends, or opening up her journal to hear from the Lord.

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By Kathleen Coffey

The Word Account

Trilogy Christian Publishers A Wholly Owned Subsidiary of Trinity Broadcasting Network

2442 Michelle Drive Tustin, CA 92780

Copyright © 2023 by Kathleen Coffey

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.TM Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com. The NIV and New International Version are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.TM.

No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without written permission from the author. All rights reserved. Printed in the USA.

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Trilogy Christian Publishing/TBN and colophon are trademarks of Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Cover design by: Sierra Deyoe with assets from Freepik

For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact Trilogy Christian Publishing.

Trilogy Disclaimer: The views and content expressed in this book are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect the views and doctrine of Trilogy Christian Publishing or the Trinity Broadcasting Network.

Manufactured in the United States of America

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is available.

ISBN: 979-8-89041-173-0

E-ISBN: 979-8-89041-174-7

Introduction

The words you will see in the next 365 pages are words written with a pen on the pages of seven different notebooks. In November of 2018, I began opening my Bible every single morning and reading whatever the Lord put in front of me. I then would pick up my journal and write the words that He gave me about the passage that He gave me. This is not a study guide for Scripture; this is not a translation of His Word; this is an account of His Word. My account. My understanding of His living Word. The beautiful part of this is that if I read the same words tomorrow, He would give me something different to write. I pray that through His Word, and my words, you will find your words. Grab a pen, and listen to what He tells you—then write. This is the Word account, our word account.

January

January 1

Isaiah 43:19

As the new year begins, let’s celebrate the future blessings as we look back on the blessings of the past. Our God does not just bless us for a moment; His blessings last. He is the God of the fresh start and the redeemer of the lost. He will fight to improve your life, no matter the cost. He doesn’t require much of you, just everything you have to give. He doesn’t want much from you, just every bit of life you have to live. He wants the next year of your life to be more blessed than the one before. He doesn’t stop at just enough, He is the God of exceedingly and abundantly more. He is the endless stream in the wasteland and the well of life-giving waters in the dessert. Creating you was His greatest accomplishment, and seeing you through is His pleasure. So do not allow the speed bumps of your year to take away from all of the mountains that you have climbed. The bad might have seemed bad, but now God has you good and primed. Our God is the epitome of restoration and the Father of the second chance. He doesn’t just want to bless your present self; He will provide you with blessings in advance. Walk into this new year of life with a calm, trusting spirit, and breathe in His fresh air. He is not just going before you to do a mighty work; He is building you up with all the tools you will need to make sure that you are prepared.

Prompt: Where has He made a way for you in the wilderness in the past? What new thing do you want Him to do for you this year?

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January 2

Jeremiah 3:19–20

Faith is our greatest strength, but faithlessness seems to be our custom. We serve a God who has given us the world, yet we often feel like we have nothing. I am not perfect, and you are not either, but we serve the God of perfection. Anytime we despise our situation, we ignore God’s affection. Next time something goes wrong in your life, remember—the world is broken…not God. His perfection does not sway just because the world is flawed. When we succumb to doubt or faithlessness, it’s not a description of who we are; it’s an explanation of who we think God is not. We are quick to question the author if the narrative waivers from our expected plot. You have every right to feel the way you feel in times of grief or discomfort, but your feelings and your faith are not mutually exclusive. We are actually questioning God’s goodness when we are doubting what He is doing. If I asked you this question: Would you ever turn your back on God? —what would your answer be? I know mine would be, "Not me!" But every time I dread the step out of my comfort zone or complain about His plan, I am turning my back on His presence. He desires us to be fully surrendered in genuine acceptance. God is gracious to give us endless redos, but I want to follow Him from the first take. I do not want to waste time not living out my calling because I am repenting for my mistakes. Do not let faith be a choice; it has to be the only option. Approach God’s plan with gratitude and your expectations with caution.

Prompt: What have you expected God to do in the past that He did not do? How did that affect your view of Him? What are you expecting Him to do in the future? How will that affect your worship of Him?

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January 3

Proverbs 11:4

Isn’t it crazy that we spend our whole life chasing money, whether we think that we do or not? It’s an instinctual habit to try and make more; it’s not something you have to be taught. We are dependent upon money for the purchase of basic necessities and the finer things that are additional. It seems that when we do not have money, we are helpless, but when we do have it, we are invincible. Even those who are not obsessed with money still remain dependent upon its importance. It brings a sense of independency and assurance. But countless times, the Lord has spoken about the riches of the world and how it will lead you into ruin. He speaks of the importance of our focus and what it is that we are actually pursuing. Our true wealth is found in the richness of our spirit within. Our true worth can only be found in the Lord, not in the status of men. The riches of this world will pass away, but the Spirit of the Lord will remain eternally. Money and status do not mean anything in the long run because God deems you worthy. You will be richly blessed in heaven if you give God your full attention while you are here on Earth. The richness of the soul is the real establishment of worth. So let’s do our best to ignore the distraction that money brings. You can get to heaven with a wealthy spirit but not with the purchase of things.

Prompt: If money were not an object, how would you spend your time? How can you make that part of your reality?

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January 4

Luke 9:18–20

It’s easy for me to read the Gospel accounts and question how anyone could doubt that Jesus was God’s Son. But I have a book detailing His life, and they did not have one. So when I read these verses this morning, my heart exploded with respect. The disciples had faith that was simply predicated on things that He said. And that is what faith is, right? It’s a firm belief without proof. It’s the commitment to decision and the surrender of having the right to choose. It’s the blind belief in truth, not because you uncovered it, but because God said it was so. It’s about trusting the believing; it is trusting your know. So when I read the Gospels from now on, I will read them with more empathy and honor. They trusted that Jesus was God’s Messiah because they trusted their Father. And they did not just go to church and hear Him teach a few times; they left their known lives to follow Him. They accepted people’s judgment and trusted their knowing from within. I want faith like that. I want faith that calls Jesus the Messiah when everyone else calls Him a prophet. I want faith that outweighs my knowledge. I want to walk this earth today in the same way that Peter did. Altering my life to match the way that Jesus calls me to live. Not because I have seen Him but because I trust His voice. Faith is a decision, and I have made the choice. Thank You, Lord, for loving me even when my doubt was greater than my faith. I want to have faith to believe in the resurrection before I see the empty grave.

Prompt: What is one decision you have made in life that was completely based on blind faith? What area of your life to you need to surrender to God in faith? How do you do that?

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January 5

Psalm 18:30–36

If God is calling you into something, you can be certain that He will give you all of the tools that you need. If you are following His path, you can be sure that you will ultimately succeed. Not because you are full of the right gifts but because He is giving you just the right portion of each gift. It’s not your talent; it’s your ability to handle His. You can trust that the Lord will give you the strength to summit if He has given you the green light to start the trek. He wants you to focus on the right now and allow Him to focus on what is next. If He has called you into a battle, trust that He will be your shield. If He has called you to sow a seed, trust that He will fertilize your field. If He has called you to run a race, trust that your feet will make it across the finish line. If He has brought you into play a game, trust that you will have all of the skills that you need to come off the sideline. Whatever you are facing today, trust that God will give you just the right portion to see you through to the other side. He does not want to keep you in a hard, unknown place; He just wants us to trust His time. I hope this brings you peace to know that God will always sustain you even when the road seems long and endless. He loves us, guides us, and defends us. You will never place your foot somewhere that God Himself has not walked first. Every moment of your life is first His before it is yours.

Prompt: What would you pursue if you knew you could not fail?

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January 6

Hosea 10:13–14

You cannot be surrendered and self-dependent; the two simply cannot cohabitate. You cannot conjoin two things that will not collaborate. You cannot be in full surrender to God if you have to have control over all situations. It’s not a trusting commitment if you have to have planning consultations. I will be the first to admit that I am a type A control freak. I do not just want to know what is happening today; I want to know what is happening next week. Yet I pray the prayer of surrender and commitment to God daily, but maybe it’s a prayer of self-convincing. Maybe I recite it so frequently because my spirit knows that I am resisting. I sing out, I am all Yours, Lord! I will follow You where You lead! But then, every time I hand Him the reins, I feel the need to intercede. God’s plan is always better than ours, and He knows our dreams better than we do. He cannot exceed your expectations if you are always demanding to see an overview. Our desire for control will only lead to disappointment in our decisions and a never-ending climb to reach our dreams. My trust in God must be bigger than my self-esteem. I am good because God is good; my independence has no strength. Because when I do it alone, I either achieve with no fulfillment or make a million mistakes. So I am declaring today that I give up control because, God, I love You more than I love control. I do not want to hold back any more pieces of my heart and my soul.

Prompt: What are you scared to give up control over most? What would it feel like if you no longer controlled that thing or person?

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January 7

James 1:16–18

God does not send us bad gifts; I know that seems logical, but in reality, we often get confused. We tend to heap the blame on God and use His judgment as an excuse. But God’s judgment does not come in the form of overloading your life with bad circumstances. We have choices in life, and God respects our free will enough not to micro-manage. So when you participate in sin and face a poor consequence, do not attribute that to God. Certain things just happen when you do not obey His commands and laws. He does not sit on His heavenly throne with an I told you so attitude, ready to heap judgment onto us in the form of trials. But God will not interfere with sin’s cycles. Those are a product of breaking God’s law, but He is not reigning them down on you with condemnation. The bad happenings are just the end result of sin’s manifestation. God gives us good and perfect gifts because that is what He is—good and perfect. He does not give them according to what you do; it’s not some kind of repayment for your service. The portions that He gives and the times that He gives are mysterious but always recognizable. His gifts look like mountaintop moments; they do not look like trials. But the good news is that He can use a trial to deliver one of His gifts. But just because the timing aligns, it does not mean that the bad situation was also His. God loves you too much to send anything bad into your life. He does not start the battle, but He will always help you win the fight.

Prompt: What have you blamed God for in the past, or are currently blaming Him for in the present?

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January 8

Proverbs 27:22

There is a lot of freedom that comes when you realize that you are not responsible for other people’s actions. No matter how much you want to control a situation, it’s not your to control what happens. And if you can get past the personal desire to control and realize that there is so much freedom to be found in letting go. You will realize that it’s not your place to make sure that other people grow. In my time on this earth, I have learned quite a bit about people and their habits and behaviors. I have come to terms with the fact that I will never be anyone’s savior. Can I help people? Certainly, but I am not going to change them. But I am going to hold them responsible without maliciously blaming them. It’s not my job to save or change anyone; it’s my job to introduce them to the only one that can. Their life is not under my control; it’s in God’s hands. And when you take that responsibility away, it leaves a lot more room for love. Instead of pointing people left and right, I will point them up above. People are not problems, people experience problems, and only God can solve them. So I am going to take a step back and be careful with what I get involved in. My job is to love people well and point them to Jesus; I am not the savior. I’ll be a servant and a lover, but I don’t need to be the change maker.

Prompt: Who do you need to set a boundary with? And what does that boundary need to be?

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January 9

Mark 15:1–5

Have you ever been made to feel like the last choice or the leftovers? Like if there was a ranking of worth, somehow you would always be lower? I know that feeling well, but I think we all are familiar with it. We have all been in its self-deprecating grips. Even Jesus went through it right before He was crucified. The people had to choose between Him and a murderer, and they chose Jesus to die. They gathered around in a group and decided to pick Barabbas, the known murderer, over the Messiah. They unshackled the sinner and called Jesus a liar. I cannot imagine it, honestly. When I think about it for too long, my heart breaks. They killed the one who came to save. But on a scale of the human experience, this same type of scenario is what shatters my heart into a million pieces—when people are disregarded, and they are told that they are the reason. We have all been in that position to some extent, where we have been left as a last option, like an unbid-on item at an auction. But let me tell you, that is a lie from the pit of hell, and you are God’s first selection. He does not see leftovers when He sees you or me; He sees absolute perfection. People may make you feel unwanted, but you are wanted by your creator. I know it’s hard, but we cannot allow our worth to be dictated by other people’s behavior. They chose Barabbas, and they might choose others, but that has more to do with them than it does with you. Do not let a lie steal your truth.

Prompt: What do you have to offer the world? What do you feel is missing about you?

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January 10

Acts 13:32–41

Have you ever thought about the fact that we stand on the promises of generations? Because of the prayers of ancestors and sacrifices of our Savior, do we get salvation? A blessing you might receive today could be the fulfillment of a promise that your grandparent prayed for. That is why we can’t lose hope because we do not know what is in store. Think about the life and death of Jesus, which had been promised for centuries! Just because it did not happen within the lifetime of one generation did not make it a mystery. Do you trust that God’s promises will come to pass? Even if it’s not in your lifetime? Are you willing to pray prayers for the future of your family line? I love thinking about my ancestors and learning about my family lineage and accounts. I love knowing where they lived, what their names were, and what they were all about. But my hindsight stops at 300 years; I tend to forget about my ancestors at the beginning of time. We are all part of an intricate and long family line. And to think that my ancestors might have prayed for a blessing that I will reap today is overwhelming. Past prayers are always currently helping. What prayer will you pray today that is bigger than your lifetime? What blessing are you working on that your grandchildren will find? Do not lose hope in the tomorrows because we have foundations formed from generations past. The promises anointed by God will always last.

Prompt: What prayer will you pray today that extends past your lifetime?

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January 11

Luke 14:25–35

What is worthwhile in life is often not easy, but it is the work that makes the reward so much sweeter. It is always more satisfying to succeed based on effort, not to succeed because you are a cheater. Discipleship is no different, and it requires a great cost in order to receive the great reward. It will cost you everything you have while simultaneously being something you could never afford. Jesus tells us to take up our cross and follow Him into the unknown and the uncomfortable. We must be willing to endure a lifetime of crucifixion so that we may receive an eternity of wonderful. If your walk with the Lord is easy, check the trail markers to make sure that you are on the right path. If you are doing the true work of God, you should be receiving Satan’s wrath. We get too wrapped up in our calling and forget about why we were created. We were not made for gaining personal accolades; we were made for Christ’s life to be demonstrated. Being loved by God is simple, but being a disciple of God is the most difficult thing you will ever do. We are not required to hang on a cross with nail-pierced hands, but our hearts should be so bought in that we would of God asked us to.

Prompt: What is the hardest thing that you have ever done? What reward came from doing that hard thing?

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January 12

Ecclesiastes 1:1–12

Our life is so fleeting even God likens it to a vapor, here and then gone. Do not bet on your life because time is not something you can count on. I heard this recently: How you spend your hours is how you spend your day, and how you spend your days is how you spend your life. Once our day is written, it is impossible to rewrite. So if your days are not spent seeking God, how will God be your life’s purpose? If He is not worth fifteen minutes of your day, then how do you show God that He is worth it? You are living your life right now, the life that God created you to live. Are you going to live devoted or die distracted? We have each been given a finite opportunity to walk on Earth and spread the love of Christ. Is the way you fill your days worthy of Jesus’ sacrifice? Are you living in surrender or living for society? Are you living devoted or living defiantly? You have twenty-four hours today to live for Christ, can you at least give Him half of one? I promise you can give up your social media scrolling if He could give up His Son. Heaven is our promised paradise for eternity if we will surrender to God daily. God deserves our steady, not our shaky. What is one thing you can alter today that will remove a distraction that is keeping you from God? In what way could you commit to improving that bond? Today is one of the days He died for; He is worth fifteen minutes of your time. We will ultimately be judged on our life full of the days that we design.

Prompt: What things distract you? What are three things you could start or stop doing that would allow you to gain a greater sense of focus?

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January 13

Psalm 65:5–8

The God of all creation hears every word that you pray. The same God that formed the galaxies hears the words that you say. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob is the same God of you, you, and me. The God that is right next to me is the same God who split the Red Sea. I know we mutter, God is good, but even that feels like a disservice. How can we ever explain our gratitude with our flawed hearts to a God who is perfect? Do you ever sit in this place and allow God’s majesty to overtake you completely? Do you ever truly allow yourself to feel His power deeply? One thing I have learned recently is that we, as humans, need meaning. If we can understand something, then we have no problem believing. But God is not meant to be understood, and we can not make meaning out of His mercy. So we either surrender and accept, or start to feel doubtful and unworthy. I think that I am coming to terms with the never-ending capacity of God’s supremacy. That His power, authority, and love have so much intensity. That He moves mountains and wipes my tears away at the same time. The He is in control of the universe, but for me, He still finds time. That my daily comfort is just as important to Him as the sunrise and the sunset. I will never get His seconds; I only get His best. And I just want to sit in that; I just want to be enveloped by the magnitude of my reality. I want to bask in His grandeur and His beauty.

Prompt: When and where do you feel God most intensely? How can you spend more time in that place?

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January 14

Luke 12:8–10

We have all heard the saying that actions speak louder than words, but words still hold weight. They have the power to destroy and the power to cultivate. On average, a human speaks around 13,000 words a day—that’s 13,000 opportunities to lead people to Christ! How many of your 13,000 words are giving life? We are born again when we surrender, but our renewing of faith lies in our testimony. We have the freedom of speech, but do we have the restraint to make our talk holy? Think about this…if you had to take away every word yesterday that was not about God, how many words would you have to count? Would it be a majority or a small amount? How many words would you speak if you could only speak words regarding God today? Would you fill the air with profession or have little to none to say? This does not mean that, as Christians, we are called to talk non-stop, but when we do speak, it should be uplifting. We were sent to lead the lost to the one they are missing. That does not mean that you have to be an evangelist; it might just mean that you need to be empathetic. Instead of firing the bullets, be the medic. If God is the true devotion of our hearts, we will not be able to stop ourselves from talking about Him because our words are just a reflection of our spirit within. Try and speak one more word about God today than you did yesterday. Allow your surrender to overflow into the words that you say.

Prompt: If you could have one sentence that described you, what would you want that sentence to be? Or what is one compliment you still think about today?

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January 15

Jeremiah 3:12–13

How unnerving is it to think that our pride could lead us to our greatest humility? That the more we preach our own power, the more we realize that we lack ability. Earth pride will bring your earthly praise but eternal emptiness. What good is all of the money in the world if, when you die, you are penniless? God does not want your riches; He wants your repentance. He does not want you to be perfect; He wants you to humbly accept forgiveness. You could spend your whole life building up a reputation of stature, but you will spend eternity in surrender. Do not spend your life gaining the admission cost when heaven is free to enter. The gospel, at its core, is simple—Jesus gave His life for you, and you must surrender your life to Him. But it’s scary to think that we could stop ourselves from getting in. Pride is gripping; it’s a controlling mechanism of our flesh. We can never give God the glory if we are convinced that we are the best. It’s hard to admit that we are not right or the best because our society tells us to be in love with our self. Too much self-righteous love will actually destroy your spiritual health. You are only good because God is good; take pride in Him—not you. You are good because of what He has done, not because of anything that you do. Trade your self-absorption for Christ’s adoration, and trade your pride for humility. Spend less time boasting about your righteousness and more time confessing your inabilities.

Prompt: What are you best at in this life? How can you use those gifts to honor God instead of yourself?

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January 16

Matthew 20:29–34

Your desires are important to God, and I think we often forget that. God does not ask us to give up our desires; He just asks that we change the format. That we would desire Him with all of our heart and seek Him before earthly pleasures. That we would want a relationship with Him more than we want any earthly treasure. I love the stories in Scripture about Jesus healing the blind because He always asked them: What do you want Me to do for you? As if it was not extremely obvious what they wanted Him to do! Jesus could have healed everyone without question, but He wanted to make sure that it was what they wanted because the last thing God wants is to leave you disappointed. This is not to say that He will provide us with all of our desires, especially because some of them are indecent. He wants to bless us with perseverance and courage, not just with desires that are convenient. If you are desperately desiring something and blaming God for not giving it to you or allowing it to happen, let me stop you for a moment and say—have you actually asked Him? Have you actually told God your desires, or do you expect Him just to know them? I can assure you that He knows your thoughts, but if you really desire something, He wants you to show it. Do not sulk because you are still blind; tell Him that you want vision! He might just be waiting in your desperation to make His decision. If we desire God’s will, He will bless our desires of desperation. Your outcry might just be His activation!

Prompt: If you could ask God to give you one thing, knowing that the answer would be Yes, what would it be? Why do you want that? Share it with Him.

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January 17

1 Corinthians 9:1–18

If someone has to force you to do right, then should you really receive praise for doing right at all? Would you consider a child’s first steps to be those that were assisted when, without stabilization, they would fall? Or do you wait and reward the child when they have independently walked on their own? Should the reward come at the point of action or when the information is known? Growth requires action and the willingness to push past the point of comfort. It is about understanding that the best moments come after the moments that you suffer. It is about willingly serving because you desire to give, not because you are told. It is about learning to be humble while simultaneously learning to be bold. If you are a Christian because your parents say that you are, then you are just like a child that has not taken their first steps. Being an apostle of Christ is rewarding but far more difficult than one may expect. It requires personal commitment, hard work, humility, and the desire to make the Lord’s name shine. It requires giving your 110 percent, 100 percent of the time. You will