Wednesday, November 19, 2014

a brief time of rest

I won't say that I purposefully stepped away from my blog, it actually happened by accident, but it was good to be away from it for a week.  I tend to become hyper-focused on things, and it can easily be turned into an obsession.  I've admitted to being obsessed with blogs (posting on mine and reading others) a time or two on this site.  That being said, I feel like the Lord has shown me a few things.

The first thing is that anything can turn quickly into idolatry.  Idolatry is most easily defined as putting other things before God.  This idolatry looks dangerously similar to Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter, all of the internet, blogs, family, friends, exercise, Christmas, decorating and television shows.  Those are just a few and I have struggled with most of these.

The second thing He has been showing me is to just focus on prayer.  I've seen something on the internet lately that says something along the lines of, "Have you prayed about it as much as you've talked about it or worried about it?"  Prayer is something so beautifully simple, and yet it's so complex.  I have been learning so much about prayer lately, and it is something I crave.  I love praying with the small group leaders and leadership at my homeschool group, Renewed Moms.  Just last night we met at my friend's house to pray.  Two and a half hours later, I walked back out her door.  I am not even kidding.  Those are the most anointed, prayerful women I have ever had the honor of praying with.  I always walk away feeling like the Lord has been made much of.

The last thing I wanted to share about is simple and probably redundant to you by now~and that is reading the word of God.  It is easily the most important book I will ever read, but more than reading it, I have been craving it lately.  I cannot seem to get enough of it, all of a sudden, and I believe that this is an answer to prayer.  I struggled until this summer, with reading my Bible each morning.  As a mom with kids at home, this is a hard task!  Especially when your kids wake up and interrupt.  ;)  (Kidding, kidding...well, kinda...)  Our children need to "catch" us doing this every morning and we should teach them to understand that this is our quiet time with the Lord, and if it's not urgent,  to wait just a few more minutes until we're done.  (I know many might argue with this, but it's something I personally think moms should teach kids.)  Obviously, you can't really teach that to a baby, or even a toddler, but when your child is older (maybe from three and above), they're capable to start learning these things and understanding.

So if you're wondering how I solved this issue that I was struggling with~being motivated to read my Bible each morning, it's that I persevered.  And it started with the night before the morning.  I intentionally go to bed reasonably early, I wake up earlier than my boys, and I read the Bible first thing.  Well...I have to take care of my dogs, because they'll bug me, and then I grab a cup of coffee, but then I settle down at the kitchen table to read the Bible.  I am still reading the Bible chronologically with the women in my church, so that is what I read first each day.  And I don't miss a day.  It takes about twenty one times for something to be developed into a habit, and by now, it has become a habit.  I read my daily reading first, and then I move into the living room and my comfy recliner to read somewhere different in my personal time.  For instance, we are about to start studying the book of 2 Timothy at Renewed Moms, so since Monday, I've been reading that book each day.  Yesterday I also read some in Psalm and before that, I've been reading the books in the New Testament that end in the letter I-A-N-S.  (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians...you get the picture.)

My encouragement to you is this~persevere.  Keep trying.  Pray and ask the Lord to multiply your time in the morning and to motivate you to jump start your day this way.  When I miss a day, I feel so off, and things seem to go from bad to worse, quickly.

I look forward to this time each day.  I also keep track of what I have read in my journal.  I know that by now you are sick of hearing about my journals, but I do think everyone should practice this.  Even if you dislike writing, it helps so much to keep track of what you've read lately.  I also journal prayers and requests and things I want to look back on someday.



I also write and make notes and highlight in my Bible.  And about that....oh my goodness!  I cannot wait to receive my birthday present from my in-love's!!  But more about that on another day, but let's just say that my love of writing and drawing and reading the Bible are all about to be combined into one amazing thing.

Thanks for reading my blog.  I pray that this encourages someone to pick up their Bible today.  Love to all.

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