Book Series: Women Living Well - Chapter 3

How Thirsty Am I?

I don't know about you, but as soon as I sit down for my quiet time, I am overwhelmed with things which need to be done or a phone call I need to take or make. Even my quiet time on the treadmill is often interrupted by several more minutes browsing on Facebook or reading through my blogs. I have found it is best to have my quiet time first before I get sucked into my social media or calls I need to return on my cell phone. Prayer is another thing which often gets interrupted by distractions or thoughts other than talking to God.


I like the idea which Courtney presents in this chapter regarding praying over your home as you do tasks around the home. It gives meaning to those tasks and gives you valuable time to pray for those loved ones in our homes. Each time I light my candle (we love to burn candles in our home), I pray for my husband, for help to be a good helpmeet to him, and for our home to be a blessing for those who come through our door.

Isaiah 40:

28 Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. 29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

We are in safe hands when we trust our lives to God. He is our creator, but He wants to interact with us as individuals and help us in our times of need. Sometimes His way of helping is not immediately answering our prayers or sometimes He knows what we need is different and better than what we think we need. He wants us to trust Him and wait for Him to answer our prayers in His way and in His timing. If we will let Him, He will give us peace and strength during the waiting period. God wants His power to be seen when He makes us weak humans strong through Him. 

I love how God is patient with us. He gives us strength to endure even when we do not ask for it or deserve it by our lack of faith. The very definition of grace is getting something we don't deserve or can never earn through our good works. Even though God has proved Himself over and over in my life, I still find myself doubting when hard times come. God is always patient with me and helps me to not only overcome each hardship in my life, but to come out with my faith refined and a new understanding of who He is.

Marriage is teaching me so much about God's love for us. My husband is unfailing in his patience for me. Sometimes I can be so insecure and lacking in my trust of Him and God. He is so patient to love me and to point me towards God's goodness and faithfulness.

Isaiah 40:
30 Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; 31 but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.

God promises He will renew our strength and give us the strength to live out our days when we place our hope in Him. In order to place our hope in God, we must spend time with Him and get to know Him through our quiet times. Our quiet times are not only important, they are vitally necessary to give us the strength to endure in this life and keep our hope securely placed in Him.

THINK ABOUT IT:
Which of these characteristics will you ask God to grant you as you wait on Him?

In Christ,
Arin

Book Series: Women Living Well - Chapter 2

No Time For A Quiet Time

If you are anything like me, you need a plan of attack for your quiet times with God. I was struggling with the best plan for my quiet times. One of my closest friends introduced me to a valuable resource on biblestudytools.com, where you can select various different Bible study reading plans AND check them off as you complete them!!

Fitness is a large part of my life. My husband and I have a gym membership and this has been an activity we enjoy together on his days off from work. I have always struggled to find a consistent time for my quiet times so I decided to use part of my treadmill time for my quiet time with God. I downloaded the Life Application Bible App to my Ipad and am able to pull up my reading plan on my browser. While I walk on the treadmill, praise music is blasting through my earbuds and I spend valuable quiet time alone with God as I read His Word and talk to Him.

Luke 5:
12 While Jesus was in one of the towns, a man came along who was covered with leprosy. When he saw Jesus, he fell with his face to the ground and begged him, "Lord, if you are willing, you can make me clean." 13 Jesus reached out his hand and touched the man. "I am willing," he said. "Be clean!" And immediately the leprosy left him. 14 Then Jesus ordered him, "Don't tell anyone, but go, show yourself to the priest and offer the sacrifices that Moses commanded for your cleansing, as a testimony to them." 15 Yet the news about him spread all the more, so that crowds of people came to hear him and to be healed of their sicknesses. 

1. Jesus offered a hand to the man.
2. Jesus touched the man.
(Keep in mind, just the act of Jesus' willingness to touch and be near the man with leprosy would have been seen as radical in his society.)
3.Jesus told the man to keep the miracle to himself.
4. Jesus told the man to go to the priest to offer sacrifices for his cleansing.

Jesus engages and serves people as he comes across them in his everyday life. He takes the service opportunities as they come and helps each individual as he comes to them. Very rarely does he help the masses.

Each of us has our own circle of influence as well as individuals we cross paths with in our everyday lives. We need to try to slow down and not miss these divine opportunities to be Jesus to others. All of us have been given family, friends, and some of us husbands and children to care for and serve. In order to best serve our loved ones and others we come in contact with, we must take time to devote ourselves to quiet times with God. Our relationship with God is our most important relationship and will refresh and revitalize us in order to be a light to those around us.

Luke 5:
16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

Jesus knew the value in withdrawing to a quiet and solitary place to pray. This is another way He is providing us with an example of how best to pray and spend quality time with God. He knew this alone time was vital in order to be refreshed and renewed. Once again, He provides us with an example of how vitally important our quiet times are to our spiritual health. In order for me to be the best wife I can to my husband and a light to those around me, I NEED to make sure I am making my quiet time a priority each day.

THINK ABOUT IT:
On a separate piece of paper, a note card, or a notes app on your phone, write out a prayer of commitment to the Lord about spending time connecting with Him each day. If the Lord Himself needed time alone, we do too!

In Christ,
Arin