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!

Forming Healthy Habits: Spiritual Life

The next few weeks I will be doing a series on forming healthy habits. Why you might ask? Because it's something I've been working on myself and this is one way to help me stay accountable. I'm a bit of a lazy person.. okay maybe not lazy, but yeah a little lazy. I try things like diets, exercise, bible studies with all the intention and motivation to complete them until the end. But let's be honest... that rarely happens! So far I've done 3 important things every day for the last week. I've been in the Word, I've run/walked/or hiked, and I have eaten healthy. So that's what I'm going to challenge you with too. Forming healthy spiritual, physical, and emotional/mental habits.

First and most important - is our spiritual habits. Our daily walk with God, our prayer time, and how we live and love others.

Daily time in the Word:
     This has always been one of the hardest things for me to do everyday. Whether I have time for it or not, I struggle with doing this daily. I don't know why... sometimes I don't have bible studies to do and don't know what to read. Sometimes I get busy or tired and forget. But here's some pointers that I have found helpful:
     1. Pick the same time everyday to be in the Word. Whether it's morning, lunch hour, or right before bedtime, choose the same time each day and work it into your daily routine. Make it a priority. Turn off the TV, get off the computer, stay off your phone and social media. Make your Bible, your priority.
     2. Get a book/bible study that applies to something you want to learn. I used to just pick a spot in my Bible and start reading. Yes, God can use anything in His Word to speak to you. But you are more likely to continue reading daily if you have a little bit of a guide. I am currently doing The Power of a Praying Woman (book and study guide) by Stormie Omartian and want to continue with Power of a Praying Wife and Praying Parent. It has challenged not only the way I pray but the way I think.
     3. Find someone to keep you accountable. I'm working on this. I need good friends to keep me spiritually accountable. I've been in different relationships where I'm the mentor and or I'm the mentee. I don't know where God wants me in this moment of my life, but I know that good friends who can keep you spiritually accountable in your actions, behaviors, and thoughts are a blessing.

Prayer
     1. Prayer Journal A prayer journal as been a staple in my life. I can write out my prayers to God, keep track of the people and purposes I'm praying for. I can look back and see how God has answered prayers, write down verses that God puts on my heart, etc.
     2. Pray for Confession, Forgiveness, and Growth Another important component of prayer is confession and forgiveness. "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins, and purify us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 Not only should we confess and ask forgiveness but
     3. Pray for others  We all know family or friends that do not know Christ and one of the biggest reasons to pray for others, is to pray for their salvation. But praying for health, healing, guidance, relationships for others is important as well.

The Greatest Commandments
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself." Matthew 22:37-38

     1. Serve Others Christ calls us to serve others and a great example of this is washing of his own disciples feet, the dirtiest part of their body in their time. So humble yourself and serve someone. Be willing to help others in way that they need it without expecting anything in return. Do something because you know your spouse loves it, even if you don't. Help your church in their service day. Give of your time because it's for the glory of God. Just make sure your heart is in the right place.
     2. Love Others Christ's second commandment is to love one another just as you love yourself. This is simple. Love people where they are at. Don't judge them, don't gossip about them. You don't always know their story and it's wrong to assume things about their lives. Just be there for your family and friends... love them, respect them, and pray for them.

Follow along with me the next few Thursdays as we develop more healthy habits.

Jesus Calling

Today I want to share with you my devotional for today.  It is from the book Jesus Calling, by Sarah Young, and has a devotional for each day.  If you have this book you may have already read it!  It hit home with me and I'll explain why after I share it with you.  It says...

"Listen to the love song that I am continually singing to you. 

I take great delight in you... I rejoice over you with singing.  

the voices of the world are a cacophony of chaos, pulling you this 

way and that.  Don't listen to those voices; challenge them with 

My Word.  Learn to take minibreaks from the world, finding a place 

to be still in Mu Presence and listen to My voice.  There is immense

 hidden treasure to be found through listening to Me.  

Though I pour out blessings upon you always, some of My richest 

blessings have to be actively sought.  I love to reveal Myself to you, 

and your seeking heart opens you up to receive more of My disclosure.  

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock 

and the door will be opened to you."

Zephaniah 3:17 

The Lord your God is in your midst;

he is a warrior who can deliver.

He takes great delight in you;

he renews you by his love;

he shouts for joy over you.”

This is special to me for a couple of reasons.  First of all, it echoes what we have talked about several times in the past and that is that we need to not listen to the voices around us that lead us away from the Lord's peace!

This also hit home because this is exactly what I had to do this past week!  My little one is teething and man oh man has he been Grouchy (with a capital G!).  After two particularly hard and fussy days I realized that I needed a break and that what I really needed was to spend some time with my Father.  I had been neglecting my spiritual life, not even really talking with the Lord until I was in bed and my prayers were usually cut short by me falling asleep from exhaustion!  I really felt the void from not spending that one on one time with him.  I needed one of those "minibreaks"! I called my mom and she was able to come over for about an hour while I ran across the street to Starbucks with my Bible and Beth Moore study in hand.  About 40 minutes in the word with no distractions and things started to feel lighter in my world again!  I love that it says, "Some of my richest blessings have to be actively sought."  I needed to MAKE that time for him.  I needed to actively seek him and it was so worth it!  Now it makes me think, what am I missing out on?  What blessings does he long to pour out on me that I'm missing because I'm not actively seeking him?  Something to think about... 

Blessings!