Read your Bible, pray every day and you’ll grow, grow, grow!

It’s really awesome how God reminds me of things over and over and over again. I mean, He knows I am sort of lazy and very hard headed, so He needs to remind me multiple times. 

And recently, He has reminded me to yearn for time with Him.

On Sunday, I went to a Bible Study I had been to busy to go to since it started. I had been too busy to do anything but work and sleep. I didn’t even have a work book. If I’m being honest the only reason I went was because it was at my favorite cafe. 

Best tea around. If you’re in the USF/Temple Terrace area, check out Felicitous. :-)

So, I am sitting on the couch, drinking my iced Mango Tango tea, listening to my friends talk about how they are trying to be more intentional about their quiet time with God and about reading the Word. I remember thinking, I am just too busy for Bible Study right now. 

Then we talked a bit about anxiety and boy, did that resonate with me. I have recently been facing a lot of anxiety about decisions that had yet to be made, ones that still need to made, and decisions I’ve already made. 

We talked about being tired. Which I definitely understand. I had been working all day almost 6 days a week. I was tired.

At some point, I started to cry. Which is not unlike me. But in this instance it was for a legitimate reason. It was a mixture of anxiety, exhaustion and conviction. 

I’m too busy for Bible Study? Martin Luther said this about busyness,“Tomorrow I plan to work, work, from early until late. In fact I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”

I had so easily and without much thought cut the Lord out of my life, because I was too busy and too tired. Which is really when I need Him the most. 

On Saturday, the day before the Bible Study, I went to a Mother’s Day Brunch at FBCTT with special guest, Jackie Kendall. She spoke on not allowing things to take the Joy of the Lord from us. Busyness was like number one on that list. 

I bought her book, Lady in Waiting, Becoming God’s Best While Waiting for Mr. Right, because let’s face it, I am not so patiently waiting for my Mr. Right. I started reading to book expecting something awesome and yet something predictable. 

What I didn’t expect when I started reading it on Tuesday was to be challenged. Granted, I am only like 2 chapters in, but this book is powerful. It is not about how to find the perfect guy. This book is on how to use my time as a single woman to grow closer to the Lord. This book is about actively waiting. 

And the first thing it tells me about actively waiting is that in order to prepare for the future, no matter what that is, I need to get my relationship with the Lord together. I need to spend time with Him in prayer and in the Word. 

You’d think at this point, that would be enough. But God had one more reminder for me. You know, just to drive the point home.

On Wednesday, during prayer time at the office, Pastor Joe read from Praying for One Another, by Gene Getz. 

“Part of Satan’s strategy is to get us so busy with other things — even good things— that we fail to give prayer it’s proper place. It’s a natural tendency, especially when things re going well. But Scripture shows us that prayer ranks high on God’s priority list. And when prayer is neglected or missing, Satan will attempt to hurt the church, particularly through destroying unity.

Thank God we know what Satan’s strategy is and how to defeat him. We have no excuse for allowing Satan to defeat us. When he does, we bear the responsibility. We must put on the “whole armor of God” — and make corporate prayer a priority.”

Okay Lord, I get it. 

I had allowed church and work to replace my personal time in the word. I mean, I work at a church. I even tweet the sermon. I read a lot of Christian Living books. That’s enough right? Of course I am being facitious. I never actually thought those things, but that was my mentality.

A few years ago, my New Year’s resolution was to read the Bible through in a year. It was a noble quest. Foolish, but noble. I had never be a consistant Bible reader. It has been years since I had regular quiet time. Twice in the last weekend, during my many reminders from the Lord, it was said that we need to be honest with ourselves as to where we are in our spiritual disciplines. There is grace for me and my lack of discipline.

I am starting where I am. 15 minutes every night before bed. Next week, I am adding 15 minutes in the morning as well. That is really the hardest part for me.

Mornings. It never fails, every time I go to bed, morning comes.

Every time.

Praise God for life, but man, 7:30 comes just to make me mad I think.

But I digress.

Those 15 minutes with my roommates, reading through Psalms has been so encouraging. It isn’t super spiritual, if that makes sense. I am not leaving with brand new understandings about God or myself. This time is serving to create a discipline, and to remind me of the goodness of Scripture.

I am learning to hunger for the Gospel, for the Word of God.

Great and exciting things are ahead for me, and in order for me to do all of these things to the Glory of God I need to be in the Word.

Keep praying for me. You know I need it! :-)

I love the rain.

I have always struggled with anxiety. Not just nervousness, but like, panic attack anxiety. Those of you who know me really well, know that I am a bit of a control freak. 

After dealing with it for as long as I have I have learned how to deal with it. But a few months ago, on a really rainy day, for no reason at all, I was overcome with anxiety. I was staring out the door of the student center and Ash could see it on my face. 

She began asking what I thought was wrong and I couldn’t give her an answer. 

So, like any best friend would, she knew exactly what to do: She opened the door and pulled me out into the rain. 

I literally felt the rain washing away my anxiety. I spun and danced and laughed it all away. 

This past Saturday. at a mother’s day brunch, our speaker, Jackie Kendall, reminded us that anxiety is fear and she said this, “the moment fear enters our hearts, faith has to leave. Likewise, when faith enters our hearts fear has to leave.”

There is nothing like remembering God is faithful. 

It’s not always as easy as stepping out into the rain, but that evening, all I needed was to breath, and let go.