Creating New Habits

   Last month I made a commitment to myself that I would get into my bible every day and practice being in the scriptures in a variety of ways.  I began reading my bible from Genesis with hopes to read my bible through the next year.  I also kept seeing "scripture writing plans" on Pinterest and decided to try out a plan for December.  Every day during one of Crew's naps I would go into our room and sit at a small desk, read a few chapters in my reading plan, write a cluster of scriptures from my writing plan and then I would take a small journal and write out prayers.  In the beginning I had to force myself to make time for my study but now I crave that time in the Word.  I have also noticed that where as in the beginning I would spend 20-30 minutes in study, now I push 45-60 minutes.  I realize that this is not possible for everyone and I realize that this may not always be the best situation for myself but in this season I am blessed with a period of time when Crew is sleeping and I have a quiet house.  

   Shortly after the election I realized how foul and negative the media and social sites had become.  I dreaded Facebook and news articles.  My morning talk shows were more depressing than encouraging so I decided to make another change.  Recently I had found the TBN app on our television and reviewed the schedule.  There were amazing pastors, several that Casey and I enjoy listening to and they were teaching all day long.  I could listen to Walk in the Word with James Macdonald in the morning, listen to Joyce Meyer in the afternoon and watch a marriage sermon in the evening.  I had all these uplifting resources at my fingertips.  So I began turning on TBN in the mornings instead of Good Morning America.  Even if I didn't have time to sit and listen to a full sermon, I could have it playing in the background while Crew and I ate breakfast.  

   Another neat resource that Casey found this year is the NIV LIVE bible app.  You can download this app to your smart phone and listen to the bible as it is read to you.  Each character has a different voice and it is read more like a story than a textbook.  I have really enjoyed listening to this app on walks with Crew down our driveway.  

   It's only been a month but I am already noticing amazing changes in my mood and my self talk.  I can tell a difference when I have filled my mind with scripture, covered our family and friends in prayer and have surrounded our day with God's Word, not the word of the world.  I feel more encouraged and uplifted and energized and I have more patience for those hard momma moments.  In the beginning I thought I was sacrificing "me time" when I would skip a bubble bath or a nap for myself or a favorite television show and instead sit and read my bible and listen to worship music but in retrospect I have been spending time in the best way when I have been in my study.  

   Life is a rollercoaster and there are seasons when it is easy to study God's Word and times when it takes everything you have to rise early to get in one quick minute of prayer.  It's so important though for us to cover ourselves and our loved ones in prayer and to fill our minds and spirits with His Word.  

   What changes do you need to make in the new year?  What small habit can you begin forming today that will help you put on the armor of God?  

Encouragement from Ephesians

I was standing in my kitchen, dazed, looking out the window overwhelmed at all the life going on around me.  I had just gotten off the phone with a friend dealing with a health scare.  I had just read an update from a mother who just lost her baby to cancer.  I myself was dealing with a variety of insecurities and emotions that I wasn’t sure how to decipher.  

I needed some encouragement.  Especially since becoming a mom, I have realized the affirmation and encouragement that I crave.  Life is tough; even with the news turned down and social media turned off, the world we live in is broken and depressing at times.  It can be hard to see beauty in the pain, to see purpose in the waiting, to feel grateful when you’re hurting.  Our Pastor has spoken before about how he doesn’t need another critic, that he is his own worst critic.  I think that reigns true in a lot of us.  We beat ourselves up without even knowing it in the moment.  “I should lose some weight”, “I should do better as a wife”, “I should play more with my kids.”  For me, that type of self talk can go on constantly if I don’t keep my mind focused on the right things.  It’s hard enough finding the good in the bad things that we can’t control, to then have to control the bad that we can create even when we don’t mean to. 

I sat down and opened my bible to Ephesians and started to read, hoping something would jump off the page and into my heart, offering a small moment of peace and encouragement.  

Ephesians 2:8-10 “For by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” 

Ephesians 1:7-10 “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” 

Talk about encouragement.  I know these scriptures but in that moment they found me exactly when I needed them.  I was reminded that I am forgiven, free and I have a heavenly inheritance waiting.  This isn’t because I earned it or because I live life perfect in every moment.  This is because my heavenly Father loves me and sent his own son who paid for my sins so that I could have eternal life with Him.  Life outside of this world.  Life without pain and suffering.  

There are always going to be hard times and days that are just a bit tougher than others but reminding myself of the brevity of this world and the eternity with my Father offers the best encouragement.  Keeping my focus on why I am here and what I am here to do helps me see past pain, insecurities, sadness and illness.  Remembering that I am a child of God helps me to see beauty, purpose, meaning and the light in the darkness.  

My job is to take this same encouragement that I needed for myself out into the world.  Our neighbors, our communities, our nation needs this encouragement more now than ever and we have to be the ones to share it.