Raise your hand if you have a bad memory. Keep it up if you don't have enough hours in the day. Don't worry, I raised mine too ... and kept it up. My husband jokes and says that movies I've seen are always new and exciting because I never remember what happens. Yup, this is so true. It can; however, be pretty frustrating when you are trying to prove your husband wrong and you forget your evidence (insert eye roll emoji). So, how do you add hours to the day? How do you train your mind to memorize scripture? My heart has been on a fast track to knowing God more deeply. I have a desire to pray more and memorize scripture. I have been praying about this for a while and decided to share with my mentor my thoughts and feelings about it all. She then shared with me ideas and totally do-able things to get started. I am so excited to share them with you today!
I want to share some words of truth and encouragement for a minute... I get it, time is the big "reason" you can't do what you "want" to do. I know that many of you are working wives (like myself) and moms, or even more chaotic (but total goals) stay-at-home mamas and that's not all - you're in a women's group or a small group, you serve in the children's ministry and you still have dishes to wash and laundry to fold. It can be difficult for you to use the restroom by yourself, let alone get enough time to pray, read and memorize scripture! All of those things are good things, even the laundry (praise God for clothes) but they are also all excuses. Your spiritual life depends on whether or not you're gardening it. If you aren't spending time in the Son, you won't ever grow. Can you imagine seeing someone you love (sacrificial type love) not blooming and growing? I'm quite certain you would feel sad for a number of reasons. You know Who else might feel that way? How can anything grow without being taken care of? It's not possible. You need to set aside time so that you can bloom and grow. Bottom line, you make time for what you want to make time for.
So, you've been desiring growth for a while but where do you start? Well, I am so glad you asked. It begins with these three characteristics right here: self-discipline, wisdom and commitment. Set your alarm to begin your day before the crazy starts. Have self-discipline to not hit the "snooze" button. Make it easy for yourself, use wisdom. Set your Bible or journal (and any other items you like to use) out where you plan on having your quiet time. Make it readily available so that you aren't searching for it all in the morning. This can be a real deterrent. Be committed. Commit to your time with God, to prayer, and memorizing scripture. Commit to being a woman of growth. Now, if only I can incorporate these into creating healthier habits ...
Will your mornings be perfect? No. Will there be days where you just cannot will yourself to getting up? Yes. Just don't make habits out of them. Allow yourself rest and give your family what they need but not at the expense of your relationship with Christ. He loves you more than you can fathom and He wants to spend time with you. Get in the Son so that you can bloom where you've been planted.
Ah, summer. The time of year where school is out, you are melting relaxing by the pool while slipping away into another reality (i.e. reading), unless of course you are like me and work year round and you don't have a pool or time to read, for that matter. I feel like in the summer you either thrive or die (not literally but it kind of rhymed so let's go with it). What am I referring to, you ask? Everything, friends. I'm talking about health routines (eating and exercising), reading, studying, praying, hosting, gathering with friends or other families. I just feel like summer rolls around and instead of thriving, I'm dying on the vine. Could it be the Florida heat that is slowly snuffing out my motivation to do anything other than what I need to do? It's very possible.
So how do we turn this around? Well, I've got some tips for you and yes, I plan on implementing them today.
1. Pray. Simple, right? Can be. 1 Thessalonians 5:17 "pray continually,".
Just give all your worries and cares to your Daddy. He knows what's going on but He wants to hear it from you. You know when something awesome happens to someone you know but you didn't find out from them? Instead, you found out via social media or another friend. Do you remember how that kind of felt like a punch to the gut? Well, sometimes I picture the Lord feels that way. Like we have talked about it and people are praying on our behalf for "simplicity and balance" but we haven't talked to Him ourselves. I love this quote, "Have you prayed about it as much as you've talked about it?" - seriously, have you? Yeah, me either.
2. Accountability. In our women's Sunday school group there were many of us who talked about accountability and the lack of accountability in our life. We need this in our lives. Is it scary to ask someone to keep you accountable? Is it hard to ask someone who already has so much on their plate to add one more thing for you? Will this change your everyday? Yes, yes and I sure hope so! Pray about who to ask to keep you accountable and then ask them if they would entrust that to you as well. Create deeply rooted sisterhood. Start with accountability.
3. Quit Quitting. I recently (like two days ago) finished an awesome study by Nicki Koziarz - 5 Habits of a Woman Who Doesn't Quit. This study was on the book of Ruth and it was awesome. Seriously, SO many good nuggets. I cannot say more good things about it. Basically, she gives you five tools from the book of Ruth on how to combat that quitting spirit we all carry in some way, shape or form. You don't have to read the book in order to do the study; however, I plan on reading the book anyway.
Whelp, that's all I got for you and really, that's all you need. Let's put these tips into action and THRIVE the rest of this summer. We'll be prepared for fall and we all know how much I love fall. ;)
