Sunday, January 18, 2026
Day 1: When Planning Meets Prayer
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:14
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father.”
Reflection:
Paul begins his prayer not with ideas but with posture. Before he asks anything of God, he kneels. That detail matters more than we often realize. In Paul’s world, prayer was usually done standing. Kneeling signaled something deeper, an intensity that moved beyond habit into surrender.
We live in a culture that prizes careful planning. We measure success by organization, clarity, and foresight. Those things matter, and Scripture does not dismiss them. But Paul reminds us that there comes a moment when planning alone is not enough. There are seasons when the questions we face cannot be solved by strategy alone. They require humility, trust, and the willingness to place our full weight on God.
Hopeful imagination begins here, not when we have figured everything out, but when we admit that we have not. Kneeling prayer is the moment when the head acknowledges its limits and invites the heart to trust more deeply.
Prayer Prompt:
God, teach me when to plan carefully and when to kneel humbly. Help me begin each step by placing my trust fully in You.
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:14
“For this reason I bow my knees before the Father.”
Reflection:
Paul begins his prayer not with ideas but with posture. Before he asks anything of God, he kneels. That detail matters more than we often realize. In Paul’s world, prayer was usually done standing. Kneeling signaled something deeper, an intensity that moved beyond habit into surrender.
We live in a culture that prizes careful planning. We measure success by organization, clarity, and foresight. Those things matter, and Scripture does not dismiss them. But Paul reminds us that there comes a moment when planning alone is not enough. There are seasons when the questions we face cannot be solved by strategy alone. They require humility, trust, and the willingness to place our full weight on God.
Hopeful imagination begins here, not when we have figured everything out, but when we admit that we have not. Kneeling prayer is the moment when the head acknowledges its limits and invites the heart to trust more deeply.
Prayer Prompt:
God, teach me when to plan carefully and when to kneel humbly. Help me begin each step by placing my trust fully in You.
Monday, January 19, 2026
Day 2: The Head and the Heart Together
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:16
“I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit.”
Reflection:
In modern language, we often separate the head and the heart. We treat thinking and feeling as opposites, as if one must dominate the other. But in the first century, this division did not exist. The head was about discernment and direction. The heart was the center of courage, will, and commitment. Together, they shaped a whole life.
Paul prays that believers would be strengthened in their inner being. Not just informed. Not just inspired. Strengthened. He is asking God to shape how they think, how they trust, and how they live.
Faith was never meant to stay in our heads as abstract ideas, nor was it meant to float freely as emotion alone. Faith becomes transformative when understanding and trust move together. Hopeful imagination grows when we allow God to form both our thinking and our commitments.
Prayer Prompt:
God, bring alignment between what I know and what I trust. Strengthen me so my faith shapes how I live, not just how I think.
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:16
“I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit.”
Reflection:
In modern language, we often separate the head and the heart. We treat thinking and feeling as opposites, as if one must dominate the other. But in the first century, this division did not exist. The head was about discernment and direction. The heart was the center of courage, will, and commitment. Together, they shaped a whole life.
Paul prays that believers would be strengthened in their inner being. Not just informed. Not just inspired. Strengthened. He is asking God to shape how they think, how they trust, and how they live.
Faith was never meant to stay in our heads as abstract ideas, nor was it meant to float freely as emotion alone. Faith becomes transformative when understanding and trust move together. Hopeful imagination grows when we allow God to form both our thinking and our commitments.
Prayer Prompt:
God, bring alignment between what I know and what I trust. Strengthen me so my faith shapes how I live, not just how I think.
Tuesday, January 20, 2026
Day 3: Christ Dwelling Within
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:17a
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
Reflection:
When Paul prays that Christ would dwell in our hearts, he is not asking for a passing visit. He is praying for residence. He is asking that Christ would settle in, shape the space, and influence every corner of our lives.
This kind of dwelling goes beyond belief statements. It touches our priorities, our fears, our decisions, and our courage. It means Christ does not simply guide our religious moments but also our everyday ones. The way we speak. The way we respond under pressure. The way we love when it costs us something.
Hopeful imagination begins when we trust Christ enough to let him reshape us from the inside out. Not as a guest we host occasionally, but as the center around which everything else finds its place.
Prayer Prompt:
Christ, take up residence in my life. Shape my decisions, my desires, and my direction so that my faith is lived fully.
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:17a
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.”
Reflection:
When Paul prays that Christ would dwell in our hearts, he is not asking for a passing visit. He is praying for residence. He is asking that Christ would settle in, shape the space, and influence every corner of our lives.
This kind of dwelling goes beyond belief statements. It touches our priorities, our fears, our decisions, and our courage. It means Christ does not simply guide our religious moments but also our everyday ones. The way we speak. The way we respond under pressure. The way we love when it costs us something.
Hopeful imagination begins when we trust Christ enough to let him reshape us from the inside out. Not as a guest we host occasionally, but as the center around which everything else finds its place.
Prayer Prompt:
Christ, take up residence in my life. Shape my decisions, my desires, and my direction so that my faith is lived fully.
Wednesday, January 21, 2026
Day 4: Rooted and Grounded in Love
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:17b
“As you are being rooted and grounded in love.”
Reflection:
Roots grow slowly and quietly. They are hidden, but they determine everything. A tree with shallow roots cannot withstand a storm, no matter how tall it appears. Paul knows this, and so he prays not for visibility or success, but for depth.
To be rooted and grounded in love means our lives draw nourishment from something deeper than approval, control, or certainty. Love becomes the source from which we act. Love steadies us when circumstances shift. Love keeps us connected to God and to one another when fear tempts us to pull away.
Hopeful imagination is not fueled by optimism alone. It is sustained by love that holds fast even when outcomes are uncertain. That love anchors us so that we can risk hope without fear of collapse.
Prayer Prompt:
God, root my life in Your love. Let that love ground me when the winds of uncertainty blow.
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:17b
“As you are being rooted and grounded in love.”
Reflection:
Roots grow slowly and quietly. They are hidden, but they determine everything. A tree with shallow roots cannot withstand a storm, no matter how tall it appears. Paul knows this, and so he prays not for visibility or success, but for depth.
To be rooted and grounded in love means our lives draw nourishment from something deeper than approval, control, or certainty. Love becomes the source from which we act. Love steadies us when circumstances shift. Love keeps us connected to God and to one another when fear tempts us to pull away.
Hopeful imagination is not fueled by optimism alone. It is sustained by love that holds fast even when outcomes are uncertain. That love anchors us so that we can risk hope without fear of collapse.
Prayer Prompt:
God, root my life in Your love. Let that love ground me when the winds of uncertainty blow.
Thursday, January 22, 2026
Day 5: A Love Beyond Knowing
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:18–19a
“I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”
Reflection:
Paul prays for something that sounds contradictory, to know a love that surpasses knowledge. He is pointing toward a truth we all sense but struggle to explain. God’s love can be experienced even when it cannot be fully understood.
This love is not grasped alone. Paul says it is comprehended with all the saints. Faith is communal. We learn the shape of God’s love through one another. Through shared prayer. Through shared risk. Through moments that cannot be summarized in meeting minutes or reports.
Mrs. Evelina’s prayer gathering was not polished, but it was powerful. It revealed a love that moved beyond explanation into trust. That is where hopeful imagination often takes root, in places where love is practiced more than analyzed.
Prayer Prompt:
God, help me experience Your love beyond what I can explain. Teach me to trust what I cannot fully understand.
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:18–19a
“I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge.”
Reflection:
Paul prays for something that sounds contradictory, to know a love that surpasses knowledge. He is pointing toward a truth we all sense but struggle to explain. God’s love can be experienced even when it cannot be fully understood.
This love is not grasped alone. Paul says it is comprehended with all the saints. Faith is communal. We learn the shape of God’s love through one another. Through shared prayer. Through shared risk. Through moments that cannot be summarized in meeting minutes or reports.
Mrs. Evelina’s prayer gathering was not polished, but it was powerful. It revealed a love that moved beyond explanation into trust. That is where hopeful imagination often takes root, in places where love is practiced more than analyzed.
Prayer Prompt:
God, help me experience Your love beyond what I can explain. Teach me to trust what I cannot fully understand.
Friday, January 23, 2026
Day 6: Filled With God’s Fullness
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:19b
“So that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Reflection:
Being filled with God’s fullness does not mean having all the answers. It means being shaped by God’s presence in a way that overflows into our lives. It is a prayer for maturity, resilience, and courage.
Paul knows that the church will face challenges. He also knows that strength does not come from perfection. It comes from dependence on God. Fullness grows when we allow God to meet us not only in our strengths but also in our limits.
Hopeful imagination requires this kind of fullness. A fullness that does not shrink in fear, but expands in trust. A fullness that allows us to step forward even when outcomes are not guaranteed.
Prayer Prompt:
God, fill me with Your presence. Let Your fullness shape how I respond to challenges and opportunities today.
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:19b
“So that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”
Reflection:
Being filled with God’s fullness does not mean having all the answers. It means being shaped by God’s presence in a way that overflows into our lives. It is a prayer for maturity, resilience, and courage.
Paul knows that the church will face challenges. He also knows that strength does not come from perfection. It comes from dependence on God. Fullness grows when we allow God to meet us not only in our strengths but also in our limits.
Hopeful imagination requires this kind of fullness. A fullness that does not shrink in fear, but expands in trust. A fullness that allows us to step forward even when outcomes are not guaranteed.
Prayer Prompt:
God, fill me with Your presence. Let Your fullness shape how I respond to challenges and opportunities today.
Saturday, January 24, 2026
Day 7: Immeasurably More
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:20–21
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Reflection:
Paul ends his prayer by turning our attention away from our limitations and toward God’s abundance. Immeasurably more does not mean reckless dreaming or wishful thinking. It means trusting that God’s capacity exceeds ours.
Mrs. Evelina believed that truth deeply. She trusted God enough to pray boldly, to speak confidently, and to wait faithfully. Her hope was not rooted in outcomes she could control, but in a God she believed was still at work.
Hopeful imagination is born when the head meets the heart, and together they dare to trust God beyond what feels reasonable. It is the belief that God is not finished yet, with us, with the church, or with the world.
Today, the invitation is simple but profound. Trust the God who is already at work within you. Believe that what seems impossible may be exactly where God begins.
Prayer Prompt:
God, stretch my faith beyond what feels safe. Help me trust that You are able to do more than I can imagine, even now.
Scripture:
Ephesians 3:20–21
“Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to accomplish abundantly far more than all we can ask or imagine, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.”
Reflection:
Paul ends his prayer by turning our attention away from our limitations and toward God’s abundance. Immeasurably more does not mean reckless dreaming or wishful thinking. It means trusting that God’s capacity exceeds ours.
Mrs. Evelina believed that truth deeply. She trusted God enough to pray boldly, to speak confidently, and to wait faithfully. Her hope was not rooted in outcomes she could control, but in a God she believed was still at work.
Hopeful imagination is born when the head meets the heart, and together they dare to trust God beyond what feels reasonable. It is the belief that God is not finished yet, with us, with the church, or with the world.
Today, the invitation is simple but profound. Trust the God who is already at work within you. Believe that what seems impossible may be exactly where God begins.
Prayer Prompt:
God, stretch my faith beyond what feels safe. Help me trust that You are able to do more than I can imagine, even now.