My Perfect Morning

When I am at my best and in balance spiritually, physically, nutritionally and emotionally, there is one, major common denominator....God and spending time with Him!

When I am putting God first and making my morning time with Him a priority, I find myself in balance everywhere else. Even if I am short on time and things seem to be chaotic, if I just spend time with Him, I find I have enough time  and energy to do the things that need to get done. I am better focused in my workouts, I don't fall into as many temptations with my nutrition, and I am able to better keep my emotions in check.

One thing that focuses my mind in the morning is sending some sort of scripture or prayer that is edifying to my best friend. She lives 2 hours behind me (and I get up at ridiculous times in the morning anyway), so I am able to have a message waiting for her on her phone when she is ready to roll out of bed and look at it.

I am not totally sure when this got started, but I have been doing this for months now and it is something I am consistent with and forces me to sit down, look at scripture and write about it! This also allows me to pour life into someone else the way I have had life poured into me so many times!

I send her things that I feel God wants her to know and He is leading me to share. I sometimes share lessons that God is working on in my life, or sometimes it is a scripture that I find motivating to get the day started and started right!

On a perfect morning in my world, sending off this message is the first thing I do (of course I pray that God would lead me to what he wants me to share first). Then, I will read out of my devotional book and journal prayers and affirmations for and over my husband.

Next, I will either get on my knees, face, or stand to pray. I will pray what is in my heart, I will pray over important people in my life and I will lift up prayers people have asked me to lift up. I pray that I will be so filled with His Spirit that it overflow from every thought or word that comes from me and every action I take in the day. I pray He use me for His will but that He be clear with me what that is (since sometimes I just don't understand or am being stubborn).  I pray He shows me who to reach out to and what to say and not say in my conversations. I pray that I am obedient to His call and how He wants me to go about my day.

I thank Him for the many blessings in my life and pray that He guide me every step of my day.

So, why do I share this? Because I think so many of us want to start to have a better relationship with Christ. We want to pray more but feel like it has to be complicated or there is a right or wrong way to do it. My prayer time has involved my message to my friend, devotional reading, journaling and speaking prayer out loud. My prayers have gotten longer and more powerful. Your prayer life is something you work at like you would any muscles. Over time you get better and stronger. You can do more and you can do it longer.

Your prayer life is something you become in better tune with like your body. I know when my body needs a more focus in one area over another, I know when my body needs a little extra love and care and I know when I need to push it further.

There are days I need to spend much more time in prayer. There are days I need to be flat on my face and there are others that I don't. There are days that I need to be reading more scripture and meditating and there are days I need to be journaling more. The more you do it the more in tune you are with your needs and the desires God has for you.

To close, I wanted to share the scripture I shared with Christine today. This scripture is exactly the kind of prayers I try to pray and it ties my thoughts together better than I ever could! I share scripture to her in the New International Version (NIV) because that is what she reads from.

“Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees, that I may follow it to the end. Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart. Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared.”

Psalm 119:33-38 NIV

Mirror and Beyond Challenge

In a recent Challenge Group, I was challenged to a Mirror and Beyond Challenge...."Today I am challenging you to take a picture of your reflection in the mirror (ya know, how we used to do it before selfies lol) I want you to then share that pic in the group and tell us one thing you see in that mirror that you love about yourself and one thing that goes beyond your reflection that you love about yourself (something about your personality, character, skills, heart, brains whatever)"

I thought I would share mine publicly. I challenge you to do this exercise and share it privately with someone you feel comfortable sharing with. 

I took this picture this morning. This is one where I am not in my best shape, I don't usually share those. I like to share the ones where you can see some abs popping or some crazy strong looking move so you are distracted from those areas that aren't where I like to see them physically.

In this picture I see me. Someone who isn't going to bend or change to fit into a particular mold that others want me to fit in. This is how I workout and this is how I am comfortable. I won't wear cute outfits or do my hair because that's what others think I should do. I know many people think I look like a "dude" and I don't care. I know that I am a woman, albeit, a bit of a tomboy, but still a woman. 

Initially I see the areas where I let myself go because of my nutrition. I see the extra and bloat, and am a little annoyed. I know that a little discipline and a little clean eating and I will be right back in the game, but it still frustrates me, I mean, I am human, right?

Beyond that initial reflection I first see a little girl who has struggled figuring out who she is and what she is suppose to be. I see a little girl who still sometimes feels useless and not living up to what she should become. As I move beyond that, I see someone who is starting to finally find her worth and identity and is beginning to understand those were all just Satan's lies trying to keep her from being what God intends.

Continuing to move beyond that, I see a woman who is growing into what Christ wants her to become. I see a woman who is totally transparent and will do anything for others. I see a woman who is working to be more obedient to God's call in her life and who is fiercely loyal to those she loves. I see someone who is disciplined and consistent and someone others can count on.

When we look beyond the mirror we need to stop focusing on the imperfections that we see, because they are lies. God created each and every one of us and He did so with intentionality. Who am I to say that His work isn't beautiful and perfect? How dare I question The Creator!

But who are you, a human being, to talk back to God? "Shall what is formed say to the one who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?'" ~ Romans 9:20 (NIV)

We were formed in the image and likeness of God. When we look in the mirror, shouldn't that be who and what we see staring back at us? 

If it isn't, why? Is it time to clean yourself up? Is it time to start looking more to the creator and less to the world? Is it time to stop listening to all the lies Satan wants your head filled with?

".....He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies." ~ John 8:44 (NIV)

What do you see in the mirror. What lies do you need to push past to see you? What lies is Satan using to try to keep you from being who God created you to be?