Opening Reflection

Memory shapes identity. When we forget what God has done, our faith can grow brittle, and the present moment can feel like the whole story. Seasons of loss, disappointment, or exhaustion can leave us feeling like a valley of dry bones, scattered and without breath. In those seasons, remembering is not nostalgia; it is an act of faith that reminds us who God has been and who God still is.

Ezekiel stands among the bones of a defeated people and hears God ask whether they can live. What strength it must have taken for Ezekiel to prophesy while standing in a grave. And yet, God brings life back to a dead place and a dead people through the telling of story. Transformation through testimony.

1 John reminds us that God has already testified about the Son, and that believers carry that testimony within them. Our testimony is not a polished performance; it is the honest story of God's life-giving work, offered so that others might find hope.

Scripture Focus

Ezekiel 37:1–14

Discussion Questions

1. Where in your life have you experienced something like a "valley of dry bones"?
2. Why do you think God asks Ezekiel whether the bones can live, rather than simply restoring them?
3. What role does God's breath, or Spirit, play in bringing new life in this passage and in our lives today?
4. According to 1 John, what does it mean to carry God's testimony within us?
5. Why might remembering God's past faithfulness strengthen our trust in the present?
6. What makes sharing our faith stories feel risky, awkward, or unnecessary?
7. Who first told you their story of God's faithfulness, and how did it shape you?

Formation Invitation

Set aside fifteen minutes this week to write down three moments when you sensed God’s presence, provision, or rescue. Don’t worry about making them impressive. Then choose one person, a friend, family member, or member of your small group, and share one of those moments with them.

Writing Your Faith Story, Part 1: Gathering the Memories

Over the next three weeks, you’re invited to write your own faith story. This week, begin by gathering the raw material. Draw a simple timeline of your life, marking the years or seasons from childhood to today. Along it, note:

• People who shaped your faith (a parent, grandparent, teacher, pastor, or friend)
• Places that mattered (a church, a camp, a hospital room, a kitchen table)
• Moments when God felt especially near, and moments when God felt far away
• Don’t write in full sentences yet. Simply collect. You’ll return to this timeline next week.

For Further Reflection

Read Psalm 77 and Psalm 126. Notice how the psalmists move from distress to remembrance, and from remembrance to renewed hope.

Closing Prayer

Living God, breathe on the dry places in our lives. When we forget, help us remember. When we feel scattered, gather us. Give us courage to tell the truth about what you have done, so that our stories might become a source of hope for others. Fill us again with your Spirit. Amen.

Katie Dobbins, Preaching