3 Simple Steps

Happy Thursday my friends! I hope your week is going well! I want to share some simple steps with you today about how to grow in a deeper relationship with God. And these are from my personal experience! Sometimes the hardest thing is knowing where to start. There have been lots of times through my walk with Christ that I needed another "starting point" and some guidance of how to begin growing again. That's the beauty of Jesus... No matter how long it's been since you've prayed or opened your Bible, God's grace opens the door for us every time we want to return. Christ is always wanting our hearts to be in tune with His and in order to do that we have prioritize our time with Him, begin and continue conversations with Him, and meditate on His Word.

1. Prioritize Your Time

    Get up 30 minutes earlier than normal in the morning. Or shut off the TV or close the computer 30 minutes before you normally go to bed. Think about the time you spend on social media or Pinterest or in front of the TV. Would you consider that time spent more important than the time you want to spend with God? Get real and honest with yourself. If you want to grow and have a deeper relationship with God, you have to choose to make Him and time with Him a priorty in your life.

Here's what I'm doing: I recently have chosen to enter my solitude with God in the morning. I've always done my deovtional and prayer journal at night right before I go to bed, but God put it on my heart to change that. So I did, and now I make a commitment (even setting my alarm) to be awake, in the Word and reading my Bible study/book before 7am. My husband is up and getting ready for work so by the time he leaves, I turn on my nightstand lamp and get my day started with God.

2. Begin AND Continue the Conversation

     This is prayer. And your relationship with God... Is a two way street. Just like a marriage or friendship, communication is vital to growth and understanding. So start talking and start listening. Start your day with prayer. Ask for what you need to get through the day. Pray for those in your home, including your spouse and children, and pray for wisdom, patience, and love toward them. Seek out God's guidance and ask Him for clear signs of His will in your life. Be specific, and continue this conversation throughout the day. Pray out loud in your car on the way to work. Pray over your meals, thanking Him for the blessing of healthy food.  Thank God for people you come across and ask Him how you can be used in their lives for His glory

Here's what I'm doing I start with prayer in the morning. I ask God for what I need and ask Him to help me retain the Words I just read in my Bible study. When I make the bed, I pray for my husband that just slept there; when I make breakfast I pray for God to give me the strength to get through the day with my one year old; I pray over my son's room when I lay him down for a nap; I pray for my husbands safety as he drives home; etc etc etc. I continue the prayer and conversation throughout the day because I need God every moment! And I pray aloud every chance I get!

3. Meditate on Scripture

     When God's Word enters in your mind when you read it, sometimes it's just words. But the more you study it, read the background behind why it was written/said, read different versions of the same verse... The more it becomes written on your heart, and the overflow will spill out in your words and actions. When we study and know how Jesus wants us to live, we should act on it; this is when we grow. When we read and leant how to believe and have faith in His examples of deliverance, protection, and trust... We learn how to trust Him and know He will be our Provider. 

Here's what I'm doing: The verses that have spoke to me over and over are the ones that I need to read, recite, memorize, and dwell on.  God uses His Word to speak to us in time of need. So to help me remember and meditate on Scripture, I write them down on note cards and post them to my bathroom mirror, in my Bible, on the top of my to-do list, on the background of my phone, etc. I put them where I can see them! I read them out loud! One new verse each week and all week I focus on that verse.

One small step at a time can turn into one giant turn around in your spiritual life. Start somewhere! God is anxiously awaiting!