“Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.” (Psalm 119:105, NLT) But how can a light be effective unless it is put to use? In the same way, God’s Word can be our light in the dark world around us. Without it, we will easily stumble and fall, but if we walk in it’s ways, we will easily stay on the path. This light is easily accessible, but only if you take the time to make it a part of your life. This takes effort and a conscious decision to make God your highest priority.
If you are like me, you know what it is like to sit down to do your devotions and your mind suddenly leaps in a hundred different directions. But there are ways to focus your brain and concentrate on the precious words of God. If you have a difficult time studying the word on a consistent and deep level, here are just a few tips to get you started.
Supplies:
1. Your bible
2. A notebook
3. Colored pencils or highlighters* (*beware of highlighters bleeding through the thin Bible pages – consider Bible highlighters if preferred over pencils)
4. Pen
5. 15-30 minutes
1. Limit Distractions. First and foremost, make God top priority. Plan your schedule around your devotion time. Choose a consistent time for devotions in a place where nothing will bother you. Leave your phone in the other room. Go outdoors. Find a place that fits your personality and is as distraction free as possible. Your devotion time should be treated as if you are going on a date, a time set aside just to spend time with the person who loves you more than you could ever imagine.
2. Pray. Psalm 145:18 (NLT) says, “The Lord is close to all who call on him, yes, to all who call on him in truth.” Begin your study by focusing your heart in prayer. If your mind wanders easily, write your prayers in your notebook with a pen – so it will be preserved for future reference. Begin your prayer with thanksgiving, acknowledging God for who He is and what he has done. Try to think of something new that you often take for granted to be thankful for each day. Write this down in your notebook. Then ask God to open your heart as you open the pages of His word.
3. Read. Whatever book of the Bible or particular Bible study or devotional you choose to go through, be acutely aware for truths that apply to your life. For example: even when there is an entire chapter of genealogy, you can still learn how God was faithful to keep His people through the generations. As you come to verses that stick out to you, underline them with the highlighter or colored pencil.
4. Write. Your journal is your chance to get out everything that you just learned in a cohesive and orderly fashion. Whether you write bullet points or full paragraphs is up to you, but be sure to include the verses that were most important to you as well as lessons that you learned through your meditation of God’s Word.
5. Pray. End your time in prayer, talking to God on a personal level about what He has just shown you. Ask him to remind you to apply these lessons to your life. This is also a great time to mention prayer requests to Him. Keep a list of your requests in your journal and document when they are answered. Prayer is a powerful tool and a one-on-one conversation with the King. Don’t be afraid to be silent and listen to what God is saying in your heart. Keep your mind focused and your heart open.
The trick to a good devotion is simply remembering that there isn’t a trick. It is just a conscious decision and effort to make it top priority. Log your thoughts in your journal and go back and read them from time to time. With this daily meditation you will see your relationship with God grow with leaps and bounds.
Monday, April 12, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
4105 Balloons
4105 balloons. Can you imagine what that would look like in someone’s hand? I mean, even the balloon salesmen walking around Disneyland before the parade only carry about 50, maybe 100. I think that if a person tried to hold 4105 helium balloons, it would be enough to carry them into the clouds like an uncontrollable hot air balloon.
Sometimes I feel like I have so many dreams for my life that I think they might carry me away into the sky and I’ll never have my feet on the ground long enough to make any of them come true. But I know that, even with my head already in the clouds, I am able to keep my feet planted firmly because of the foundation that holds them – Christ, the solid rock.
Like most people, my balloons come in different sizes. There are the tiny ones for decoration on the edge of my personality, like my childhood dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator. While I still have the ability to take that dream somewhere, it is not my main goal in life and has therefore dwindled away, smaller and smaller, but still floats above my head as an unfulfilled dream.
Other balloons have grown to bursting, pulling at their strings and begging me to let them fly. The biggest dream at this point in my life is for me to become a musical missionary, taking the Word of God to other countries and impacting the world through teaching music. But I cannot take this dream somewhere until I am completely prepared to let it overtake my life. This balloon is so big that I cannot hold onto it alone, but I am becoming more prepared to make the dream a reality by learning as much as I can about education, music, and Christ.
Still other dreams drag behind me like popped balloons, still connected to my heart and personality but merely unusable memories. For example, my aspirations to become an astronomer so that I could gaze at the stars professionally quickly popped when I took an astronomy class at the college. While I absolutely loved everything I learned about the night sky, I came to grips with the fact that math and I don’t get along as well as is required to make that dream come true. So that dream drags behind me, popped and pitiful, but still a beautiful aspect of my personality.
Trying to keep my feet on the ground, I often struggle to hold onto all my dreams. They tug at their lines, begging to be freed as I walk down the road of life trying to take them somewhere. I am realizing as time goes on that God gave me these specific dreams for a reason and that they make me who I am. He asks me to nurture and use each dream with all of my strength until…. One day…. When I can’t hold onto them any longer, he is going to ask me to give them up and let them fly away. Once I let go of each dream, he makes them bigger than I could ever imagine. I can trust him with my dreams, because he is the one who put the air into them anyway.
4105 balloons. That’s a lot of balloons. But Christ carries them all, and he does so with both style and control. Without Him, we will float away. With Him, we can walk by his side and enjoy the dream forever.
Sometimes I feel like I have so many dreams for my life that I think they might carry me away into the sky and I’ll never have my feet on the ground long enough to make any of them come true. But I know that, even with my head already in the clouds, I am able to keep my feet planted firmly because of the foundation that holds them – Christ, the solid rock.
Like most people, my balloons come in different sizes. There are the tiny ones for decoration on the edge of my personality, like my childhood dream of becoming a children’s book illustrator. While I still have the ability to take that dream somewhere, it is not my main goal in life and has therefore dwindled away, smaller and smaller, but still floats above my head as an unfulfilled dream.
Other balloons have grown to bursting, pulling at their strings and begging me to let them fly. The biggest dream at this point in my life is for me to become a musical missionary, taking the Word of God to other countries and impacting the world through teaching music. But I cannot take this dream somewhere until I am completely prepared to let it overtake my life. This balloon is so big that I cannot hold onto it alone, but I am becoming more prepared to make the dream a reality by learning as much as I can about education, music, and Christ.
Still other dreams drag behind me like popped balloons, still connected to my heart and personality but merely unusable memories. For example, my aspirations to become an astronomer so that I could gaze at the stars professionally quickly popped when I took an astronomy class at the college. While I absolutely loved everything I learned about the night sky, I came to grips with the fact that math and I don’t get along as well as is required to make that dream come true. So that dream drags behind me, popped and pitiful, but still a beautiful aspect of my personality.
Trying to keep my feet on the ground, I often struggle to hold onto all my dreams. They tug at their lines, begging to be freed as I walk down the road of life trying to take them somewhere. I am realizing as time goes on that God gave me these specific dreams for a reason and that they make me who I am. He asks me to nurture and use each dream with all of my strength until…. One day…. When I can’t hold onto them any longer, he is going to ask me to give them up and let them fly away. Once I let go of each dream, he makes them bigger than I could ever imagine. I can trust him with my dreams, because he is the one who put the air into them anyway.
4105 balloons. That’s a lot of balloons. But Christ carries them all, and he does so with both style and control. Without Him, we will float away. With Him, we can walk by his side and enjoy the dream forever.
Friday, February 26, 2010
Broken Promises
Washington Hare woke up one particularly good morning in a particularly good mood from a particularly good night’s sleep. He ate his usual breakfast of buckwheat pancakes and milk. He packed his sack and threw it over his shoulder, heading out the door in his particular way to go to the market down the road.
He was feeling very enthusiastic about the birds singing in the trees and the sunshine warming even the thickest parts of his fur.
Not long after he left home, Willie Weasel saw Washington walking. “Well, good morning, Mr. Hare!” He said. “Good morning!” Washington answered, grinning broadly. Willie stopped reading his book and said, “Uh, Mr. Hare? Im having a party tonight and was wondering if you would like to stop by for a piece of cake?” Washington smiled, “Of course! I’m going to the market, but I promise I’ll stop in on my way back!”
Going on his way, Washington met up with Georgetta Goose. “Mr. Hare! I was just on my way to see you! I need your help to move the cattle into the second pasture later today. Will you be available?” “Certainly!” Washington agreed, “I’m going to the market now, but I promise I’ll stop by on my way back.”
Robinson Woodpecker caught his eye a few more miles down the road. He stopped pecking and flew down to a branch that was low enough to talk to Washington. “Mr. Hare! Just the person I wanted to see! Do you have a few minutes later this afternoon to take a look at my new home and suggest decorations?”
“Absolutely!” Washington replied, “I’m going to the market now, but I promise I’ll stop by on my way back.”
At the market Washington bought a few oranges and sat down on a nearby log to listen to the fiddle cats making their daily wages by entertaining the crowd. The day went by rather quickly, soon the sun was resting low on the horizon. But Washington was so enjoying the music and the company of the many acquaintances that had stopped to converse with him that he did not notice the time passing.
Suddenly, he remembered his promises to his neighbors. He ran quickly to Mr. Woodpecker’s house. “It’s too late.” Mr. Woodpecker explained, “I went to pick out my decorations after dinner.”
After apologizing profusely he raced over to Mrs. Goose’s pastures, but the cows had already been moved. “I waited as long as I could for your help, but it got too late and I had to do it myself. It took much longer than it would have, but I managed by myself.” Mrs. Goose said, obviously weary from the exertion.
Again, Washington apologized and then set off running down the lane in the light of the moon. It was obvious, though, when he arrived at Willie’s home, that the party was over and everyone had gone to bed.
When Washington got home he felt very depressed. He thought that this particular day was going to be particularly good. Instead, he realized that he had promised too much. “Never make a promise you can’t keep,” he thought, “or else you can loose the trust of your friends.”
He was feeling very enthusiastic about the birds singing in the trees and the sunshine warming even the thickest parts of his fur.
Not long after he left home, Willie Weasel saw Washington walking. “Well, good morning, Mr. Hare!” He said. “Good morning!” Washington answered, grinning broadly. Willie stopped reading his book and said, “Uh, Mr. Hare? Im having a party tonight and was wondering if you would like to stop by for a piece of cake?” Washington smiled, “Of course! I’m going to the market, but I promise I’ll stop in on my way back!”
Going on his way, Washington met up with Georgetta Goose. “Mr. Hare! I was just on my way to see you! I need your help to move the cattle into the second pasture later today. Will you be available?” “Certainly!” Washington agreed, “I’m going to the market now, but I promise I’ll stop by on my way back.”
Robinson Woodpecker caught his eye a few more miles down the road. He stopped pecking and flew down to a branch that was low enough to talk to Washington. “Mr. Hare! Just the person I wanted to see! Do you have a few minutes later this afternoon to take a look at my new home and suggest decorations?”
“Absolutely!” Washington replied, “I’m going to the market now, but I promise I’ll stop by on my way back.”
At the market Washington bought a few oranges and sat down on a nearby log to listen to the fiddle cats making their daily wages by entertaining the crowd. The day went by rather quickly, soon the sun was resting low on the horizon. But Washington was so enjoying the music and the company of the many acquaintances that had stopped to converse with him that he did not notice the time passing.
Suddenly, he remembered his promises to his neighbors. He ran quickly to Mr. Woodpecker’s house. “It’s too late.” Mr. Woodpecker explained, “I went to pick out my decorations after dinner.”
After apologizing profusely he raced over to Mrs. Goose’s pastures, but the cows had already been moved. “I waited as long as I could for your help, but it got too late and I had to do it myself. It took much longer than it would have, but I managed by myself.” Mrs. Goose said, obviously weary from the exertion.
Again, Washington apologized and then set off running down the lane in the light of the moon. It was obvious, though, when he arrived at Willie’s home, that the party was over and everyone had gone to bed.
When Washington got home he felt very depressed. He thought that this particular day was going to be particularly good. Instead, he realized that he had promised too much. “Never make a promise you can’t keep,” he thought, “or else you can loose the trust of your friends.”
Thursday, January 28, 2010
A Little Thread
A little thread am I, you see,
Within the patterned quilt of life,
The colors wound with majesty
And edges worn with sin and strife.
I carry on as life goes by,
A little thread, a tiny string
And even with an aided eye
I don’t amount to anything.
Unknown amidst all time and space
I hear a voice come from on high.
With love assures me, just in case
I feel unneeded and denied.
“Without you,” Weaver says to me,
“There’d be a hole in my tapestry.”
--Phylicia Mercedes
Sometimes I feel as if I am an insignificant part of the handiwork of God, as if the purpose of my life means nothing in the scope of the universe. But God constantly reminds me that I am a vital part of His plan. I am not sure why He constantly puts the effort in to love me and help me grow, but I am eternally thankful.
This year has been one of tremendous growth for me, especially since August. When I started my junior year at college, I knew that something was going to change. I didn’t know what it would be… but I knew my life would not be the same. A few weeks into school we found out that one of the vital members of our choir, a friend of mine, had been diagnosed with cancer. He is a 21 year old, spunky young man with a deep soul and fun-loving heart. My roommate and I took on the responsibility to serve him as a friend in whatever way we could. Being there for him without expecting anything back gave me a concrete example of what true service and giving really means. In fact, it taught me what it really means to be a Christian. A few weeks ago, my friend was declared cancer-free and is now finishing up his last few treatments of chemo. God is so good.
Through that situation, God was able to teach me again how to trust Him completely. No matter what happens, He is in control. It is just my job to follow Him all the days of my life.
I may only be a single thread, completely invisible in the huge tapestry of life, but I now understand that without my devotion and trust in God, there would be a hole that could never be filled the same way. Maybe the world as a whole wouldn’t notice if I don’t contribute to the pattern, but those around me would.
My prayer is that I continue to shine brightly in the colors God has made me. That I can serve those who enter my life the way Christ served – so that Christ can be seen in me and someday the whole picture will be visible.
I am amazed at God’s glory and wonderful talent. Weave me, Lord, into your awesome design.
Within the patterned quilt of life,
The colors wound with majesty
And edges worn with sin and strife.
I carry on as life goes by,
A little thread, a tiny string
And even with an aided eye
I don’t amount to anything.
Unknown amidst all time and space
I hear a voice come from on high.
With love assures me, just in case
I feel unneeded and denied.
“Without you,” Weaver says to me,
“There’d be a hole in my tapestry.”
--Phylicia Mercedes
Sometimes I feel as if I am an insignificant part of the handiwork of God, as if the purpose of my life means nothing in the scope of the universe. But God constantly reminds me that I am a vital part of His plan. I am not sure why He constantly puts the effort in to love me and help me grow, but I am eternally thankful.
This year has been one of tremendous growth for me, especially since August. When I started my junior year at college, I knew that something was going to change. I didn’t know what it would be… but I knew my life would not be the same. A few weeks into school we found out that one of the vital members of our choir, a friend of mine, had been diagnosed with cancer. He is a 21 year old, spunky young man with a deep soul and fun-loving heart. My roommate and I took on the responsibility to serve him as a friend in whatever way we could. Being there for him without expecting anything back gave me a concrete example of what true service and giving really means. In fact, it taught me what it really means to be a Christian. A few weeks ago, my friend was declared cancer-free and is now finishing up his last few treatments of chemo. God is so good.
Through that situation, God was able to teach me again how to trust Him completely. No matter what happens, He is in control. It is just my job to follow Him all the days of my life.
I may only be a single thread, completely invisible in the huge tapestry of life, but I now understand that without my devotion and trust in God, there would be a hole that could never be filled the same way. Maybe the world as a whole wouldn’t notice if I don’t contribute to the pattern, but those around me would.
My prayer is that I continue to shine brightly in the colors God has made me. That I can serve those who enter my life the way Christ served – so that Christ can be seen in me and someday the whole picture will be visible.
I am amazed at God’s glory and wonderful talent. Weave me, Lord, into your awesome design.
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