My First Blog HOP! :) 3 Simple Steps...

3 Simple Steps…

Last week I wrote about the power of perspective and as I prayed all week for my involvement in my first ever blog hop and which topic God wanted me to write about the word simple kept tripping me up. My journalism training often pleads with me to get more specific or logical than Faith in Jesus Christ requires and that obsessive need for facts or detail once caused my heart to doubt and test God but over the past five years, as my journey with God has raised me up from the lowest and darkest of places I have learned how to truly Let Go and Let God rule my life and it is because of these THREE “Simple” Steps I take every day.

1.)      I wake up every morning saying, "Good Morning Jesus I love you." These six simple words immediately puts my heart in a God place and eliminates any desire I may have to be self-focused or have a pity party. I have a terminal lung condition and there are more mornings than not that I wake up knowing I will not be able to leave the apartment, I will be missing being able to get out in the world and serve and interact with loved ones and often know each breathe is going to be a struggle but I refuse to live being haunted by my condition. God has made it clear my time on earth is not finished, He wants and needs me here so starting my day focused on my Lord and Savior, starting my day thankful that I am seeing another morning and expressing my pure devotion allows me to choose Joy instead of sorrow. It allows me to be open to whatever He has in store for me that day because while I may not be able to be out in the world I can still shine His light to others in many ways. “My flesh and my heart my fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26 ESV (My life verse)

2.)      I have only been doing this step for a few months but it has enhanced my morning devotional and quiet time with the Lord, each day I feel more intimately connected with Jesus than I did the day before and I can feel my emotional and spiritual strength increase daily. I read aloud A Daily Prayer for Freedom as written by John Eldredge in “Waking the Dead.” The prayer itself has over forty scripture references that encourage, motivate, protect and arm me with God’s truth, power and love.

3.)    Nearly two years ago I was diagnosed with PTSD and a Chronic Anxiety disorder. From what the Doctors can tell I have probably suffered from it most of my life, but defiantly my entire adult life. My scariest episode occurred in July 2012 five months after my brother passed away.  For months I had been hiding sleeplessness, crippling social anxiety, obsessive work habits\hours and had been acting out in dangerous ways but my best friend and accountability partner, the most discerning person I know knew something was wrong and encouraged (aggressively like only she can) me to get help. I started seeing a Christian counselor who provided me with so many tools that have led to great victory and healing but this step was the most life sustaining and something I still do every night. I use my YouVersion Bible App on my phone and have the Bible read to me every night as I fall asleep. I am now half way through my second year of reading the Bible in a year by taking advantage of technically I often loathe. There are nights of course I have to listen to the few chapters twice because the first reading I am much too involved in God’s amazing story to actually fall asleep but every night the last thing I hear isn’t the worries playing over in my mind or my fears about my health, among other things, but instead I hear God’s beautiful, powerful, life giving truth! “All Scripture is God-Breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

Pray so that…

Pray so that you can hear God. SO that you are in a constant state of awareness of His presence, power, will, glory and love. Pray so that we can talk with Him, with the creator of everything! God wants us to be in constant communication with Him because we are His heart’s desire and so that we can grow stronger in our spirit! Pray so that you can connect with God intimately and access the glorious riches of His power, love, forgiveness, grace and redemption. Pray so that God can be glorified and our hearts can be God-centered and our lives Kingdom focused. 

"Let us then approach the throne of Grace with Confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." Hebrews 4:16 NIV